Jews and Muslims should feel safe: Jewish MPs
Australian Jews and Muslims should not be used as “political footballs” and their communities should feel safe and supported, Jewish MPs from Labor and the Liberal Party say.
Labor member for Macnamara Josh Burns Monday, January 30, 2023.
The comments came from Victorian MP Josh Burns and NSW MP Julian Leeser the day after the prime minister accused Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of seeking to weaponise anti-Semitism to criticise the government’s response to escalating violence in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, which is a declared terrorist organisation in Australia, attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1200 people.
In response, Israel has unleashed a bombing campaign and a blockade on food, fuel and water that has killed more than 12,000 in Gaza.
The conflict has sparked protests and vigils across and fuelled instances of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.
But Mr Burns said government should not make inflammatory remarks which would “put kerosene on already hot flames”.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Jewish person or Islamic person, you should feel safe in Australia,” Mr Burns told ABC radio on Thursday.
“I want them to feel like they are proud Australians and that they can go to the mosque and be a part of their community and practice their faith and be with their family and live peaceful lives in this country.
Julian Leeser
“I want that for any Australian, regardless of their religion or background.”
Mr Leeser agreed and noted anti-Semitism had always been an issue in Australia, with many Jewish institutions forced to hire additional security at normal times.
But with the escalating violence in the Middle East, tensions have exacerbated.
“The level of anti-Semitism is off the charts in this country,” he told ABC radio.
“We shouldn’t try to downplay the way the Jewish community is feeling at this time.
“That’s what we need to do as parliamentarians, regardless of peoples’ faiths, but when a particular community is under attack, (we need to) recognise that.”
A politician’s job should be to cool tensions and host civilised conversations to represent the Australian people, Mr Burns said.
“We need to ensure that Australian communities feel safe and supported and not to be used as political footballs,” the Labor MP said.
“I do not believe that it’s in the Jewish community’s interest to have one political party trying to pit the community against another – because long after my career is done, I want the Jewish community to have stability and certainty on all sides of politics.”
AAP
