Australian Jewish leaders speak out on Israel’s civil crisis

ECAJ and ZFA express ‘serious concern’ at judicial changes while US Jewish leaders call for a boycott of Minister Bezalel Smotrich's visit.

The disturbing silence of Australia’s Jewish community leaders on Israel’s civil crisis has ended.

Following The Jewish Independent’s editorial on Friday criticising the absence of moral leadership in the community, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) and Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) put out a statement on Monday expressing "serious concern" at the governing coalition’s proposed changes to the relationship between the Knesset and the judiciary.

The statement said the community also views with "deep concern" proposals to reduce religious pluralism and change the law of return.

Emphasising the Australian Jewish community's deep Zionism and “unconditional love” for Israel, ECAJ President Jillian Segal and ZFA President Jeremy Leibler acknowledged that Diaspora Jews had different rights [to comment on Israeli issues] but noted Diaspora Jews are deeply invested in Israel’s survival and the wellbeing of all Israelis and the Jewish people.

They called on the Israeli government to pause the controversial proposals so that a constructive dialogue and national consensus can emerge, as President Isaac Herzog suggested six weeks ago.

But they did not address the threat to democracy of the proposals, such as the attempt by politicians to gain absolute power over the judiciary.