The Covid-19 virus has produced sickness and death, turmoil and disruption, around the world. It is a silent stalker of human fragility. But it has brought with it another virus, an older but virile plague, one with no known cure, and no limits to the amount of dead bodies it …

Antisemitism is at its core a conspiracy theory.  It is based in the irrational belief that “the Jews”, a numerically tiny and historically marginalised ethnic and religious group, have been conspiring to cause harm to others, undermining and manipulating, for their own nefarious purposes.  It is not what Jews do …

Extremists of all stripes look to times of economic uncertainty, social unrest, and political turmoil as opportunities for them to take power.  Whether it is the fascists and communists fighting it out in Weimar Germany or during the Great Depression, or in dozens of other countries at other times, extremists …

The contemporary far-right in Australia is best described as a conglomerate of different ideas and ideologies, held with varying intensity and activity, but connected by certain political positions.  These positions, in general, include ultra-nationalism and racism, and opposition to multiculturalism, homosexual rights, equality for females, “the Left” and, in many …

Although Australia remains a relatively safe and free environment for its small Jewish population, there have been some disturbing trends in anti-Jewish incidents over the past year. There were major spikes in some categories of serious incidents – especially in incidents of verbal abuse, harassment and intimidation of Jews, and …

Elections are usually a time of colourful candidates and robust debates, of tedious ads and glittering promises.  However, the 2019 Australian federal election campaign was marred with an unusually high number of incidents of racism and bigotry directed towards candidates.  Candidates of Aboriginal, Asian, Jewish and Arab-Muslim background were targeted. …

While all forms of racism possess characteristics in common, antisemitism has one unique characteristic ― it tends to become genocidal.  Racism means treating certain people less favourably than others because of their race, ethnicity or skin colour.  Its purpose is often to keep members of the targeted group “in their …

The myth that there is a conspiracy to commit genocide against people of European ethnicity is not only dangerous but deadly. It has now claimed the lives of 50 Muslims in New Zealand. The myth is known by various names: White Genocide, White Replacement, Ethnic Genocide, Ethnic Replacement and Demographic …

An ominous trend imagines a global Jewish plot to ‘import’ non-Europeans in order to destroy European culture. Little more than a year ago, far-right activists in Australia could reasonably accurately be divided into three ideological groupings: civic patriots, nationalists and racialists. Whatever they might be said to have in common, …

Over the last year or so, far-right groups in Australia, mimicking those in the US, UK and Europe became increasingly open and virulent in expressing hatred of Jews as a group, and increasingly brazen in calling for their murder and genocide. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) Report on …

On the fringes of society, beyond the gaze of mainstream politics, there is a network of people propagating and planning an insidious, totalitarian goal: ethnic cleansing and genocide, under the rubric of their catch-cry, “Race War Now.” This is not only occurring in Australia, but is part of an international …

On the fringes of society, beyond the gaze of mainstream politics, there is a network of people propagating and planning an insidious and totalitarian goal – ethnic cleansing and genocide, under the rubric of their catch-cry ‘Race War Now’.  This is not only occurring in Australia, but is part of …

Antisemitism is a form of racism that is directed against Jews.  However, antisemitism has its own anomalous and contradictory aspect.  While racists commonly conceptualise the groups against whom they are prejudiced to be inferior forms of humanity, Jews are depicted as both ‘inferior’ and ‘superior’. On the one hand, racists …

Seventy years after the Holocaust, Jews around the world are again facing increasing levels of racist attacks. Many Jewish communities outside Australia are effectively living under siege. Synagogues and Jewish schools need to operate under armed guard, either by private agencies or heavily armed police.  In many places Jews are …

A largely uneventful, and small, far right rally was held in Sydney on Sunday 24 June. The rally was organised by the True Blue Crew (TBC), a far right group that was formed in Melbourne in late 2015. The “Aussie Pride Flag March” rally was made up of a group …

There is much debate over who poses the greatest threat to Jews in the 21st century.  Some point to the Far Right, others to the Islamists, and some to the far Left.  Often, it is ideological or political considerations that determine where the pointing is directed towards, rather than looking …

As Israelis, and Jews around the world, celebrate the 70th anniversary of the re-establishment of the Jewish state, Palestinian Arabs and their supporters protest the very existence of Israel, in what they call Nakba Day (Arabic for ‘catastrophe’) As Israelis, and Jews around the world, celebrate the 70th anniversary of …

Seventy years after the crushing defeat of Nazi Germany, Nazi ideas and groups are re-emerging throughout the West. Although Nazism remains on the political fringes, adherents are increasingly active and emboldened in propagating the antisemitism, white supremacy, racist hate, and homophobia that are intrinsic to Nazi ideology. In Australia, a …

A perennial fixation of the anti-Israel movement is the myth of an all-powerful Jewish lobby working behind the scenes to ensure support for Israel and to crush all opposition.  This idea looms so large and is so overwhelming in the minds of many critics of Israel that the workings and …

Not long ago, the activist far right comprised a motley assortment of anti-Islam groups and individuals rallying in cities across Australia railing against Islamist terrorism, Muslim immigration and the Islamisation of Australia. Today, the activist far right scene has been sharpened and galvanised into something much bolder, more militant and …