Jewish organisations ask majors to dump Greens

On the anniversary of the October 7 massacre, Greens leader Adam Bandt accused Israel of genocide and war crimes. The statement was made in the context of “full condemnation” of the Hamas massacre.

But its release as a day of profound mourning when political leaders across the world were expressing their solidarity with Israel was the last straw for many Australian Jews, incensed by the Greens' refusal to condemn terrorism and recognise Israel's right to defend itself.

The Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) have now written to the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition requesting that both major parties preference each other above the Greens at the next Federal election and rule out negotiating, or forming a minority government, with the Greens. They have also sought similar pledges from Teal independents.

The majors themselves were at odds over how to mark October 7. The Australian parliament failed to pass a motion marking the day after the Opposition rejected a motion put forward by the government condemning the Hamas attacks, expressed solidarity with Jewish Australian,s and condemning antisemitism.

The Liberals refused to pass the motion unless clauses calling for a de-escalation, a ceasefire and a two-state solution were removed. they also wanted stronger wording condemning  repudiations of Australians who support “barbarous” terror organisations such as Hezbollah, and affirming that Israel shares the “same liberal democratic values as Australia … and affirm that Israel’s battle is a battle fought against the enemies of civilised people everywhere”.

The sins of the Greens