1) Israel was attacked by a globally recognised terror organisation on October 7th 2023. The death of over 1200 innocents, kidnapping, torture and other unmentionable crimes is the greatest single incident of death and destruction since modern Israel was founded in 1948

2) Hamas invited Israel’s response onto their people knowing it will lead to a groundswell of support for the Palestinians around the world. As the world doubles down on Israel’s criticism, Hamas make greater demands for ceasefires they continue to reject, prolonging the suffering of Gazans in exchange for world support – it’s upside down.

3) Israel has not managed the war in Gaza well. They have played into Hamas’ hands. Suffering in Gaza is real and exists, the scale of the suffering is debatable and in my opinion, overstated, when the media and public rely on Hamas information as ‘fact’. The media reports these ‘facts’ and apologises later.

Regardless, Israel aren’t doing enough to make it better – a lack of decisiveness in their efforts and an acceptable off-ramp that ends the conflict seems miles away – especially with hostages still in Gaza and suffering on both sides continuing.

4) Where Israel were prepared, they have won tremendous victories, particularly against Iran and Hezbollah – battle plans executed in a manner which we all wish the Gaza war was completed.

5) The Bridge march was not for ‘humanity’ as the proposal promised. There were many who showed empathy for the suffering of Palestinians impacted by the war, but not an instance (that I saw) of freeing the hostages or any sympathy for the suffering on Israel’s side. Nor was there any mention of actual genocides taking place elsewhere in the world

6) Jews can no longer take our place in society or safety for granted. One of the core Australian values was it was never ok to target a minority, particularly in relation to conflicts in other places in the world.

Antisemitism levels are now stratospheric. Attacks on homes, firebombing cars and targeting schools and synagogues is nearly part of daily life in Australia. Many hide behind the ridiculous veil of ‘it’s zionism, not judaism’, but the word ‘Jew’ comes out nonetheless. This is being repeated across the globe where Jewish artists are being cancelled, Jewish kids getting kicked off a plane for singing a Jewish songs, Jews are being denied hotel bookings or being asked to leave restaurants simply because of their religion. Even last week, Jewish primary school kids in Melbourne were targeted with taunts of ‘Hitler should have finished the job’ on an excursion to a museum – let’s not pretend this would be tolerated for any other religious or ethnic minority.