Envoy calls for ‘clear leadership’ against antisemitism

Antisemitism has been a blight on civilisation for thousands of years so Jillian Segal, the government’s Special Envoy to combat the problem, knows she has a huge job on her hands – advising the prime minister, informing policy, addressing hate speech, driving social cohesion, and much more.

In her first Jewish community interview since being appointed four months ago, Segal focussed on three themes as being central to addressing the explosion of discrimination and intimidation since October 7.

Leadership, respect and education.

Leadership sets the guardrails for what is permissible to say and do. Respect for a community’s sensitivities, trauma and collective experience. Education for those who do not appreciate those sensitivities, who refuse to acknowledge them or who are ignorant of them.

“One of the main guidelines for combatting antisemitism, and one that has been the most overlooked, is that you need leaders to speak out,” Segal told The Jewish Independent.

“People take direction from leaders about what is permissible behaviour. If leaders say something is unacceptable - whether it's a political leader, or on a university campus, or a leader of an arts body -  people tend to follow that lead. Of course, even with clear leadership, some people will still have antisemitic views, which are embedded.

She says the impact of leaders speaking out is particularly influential with casual antisemitism, which she describes as “blaming Jewish people for this or that, without thinking about it too carefully. On the other side there is the very deep-seated antisemitism that comes from hatred of a group of people.”