Protesters urge Israel sanctions ahead of MPs return
The rally on Sunday was held on the first of three days of planned protest action in Canberra, culminating with the first sitting day of the new parliamentary term on Tuesday.
Sunday's rally saw hundreds of demonstrators gather on the lawns of Parliament House, before heading towards the embassy.
Thousands of paper kites were placed on the lawns, some bearing the names of children who have been killed in the Middle East conflict.
Protesters called for the government to impose Israeli sanctions for attacks on Gaza.
Criticism was also levelled against a report to the federal government handed down by anti-Semitism special envoy Jillian Segal.
The report urged the government to withhold funds from universities and cultural institutions who fail to act against anti-Semitism, or if they facilitate it.
One speaker at the rally, Janet Parker from Jews for Palestine WA, said the proposal from the special envoy in the report went too far.
"The result would be censorship and surveillance of public institutions and the repression of expressions of solidarity," she told the rally.
Ms Segal's report said intervention was needed to address rising levels of anti-Semitism in the community.
"The plan supports the safety, visibility and contribution of Australia's Jewish communities, so that no Australian feels the need to hide who they are," she said after the report's release.
The federal government is waiting for a report from the special envoy to combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, to consider the recommendations alongside Ms Segal's report.
Sunday's rally in Canberra came a day after activists vandalised the Australian-American memorial in Canberra.
The base of the almost 80-metre column was sprayed with red paint on Saturday, with activists saying it was a "toxic" reminder of the role of the nations' alliance in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
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Australia plans to take US beef for the "first time," Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Thursday, calling it a "very big market". Canberra has restricted US beef imports since 2003 due to concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. Since 2019, it has allowed in meat from animals born, raised and slaughtered in the US but few suppliers were able to prove that their cattle had not been in Canada and Mexico. Last night, in another post, Trump said the US would "sell so much to Australia because this is undeniable and irrefutable Proof that US Beef is the Safest and Best in the entire World." "The other Countries that refuse our magnificent Beef are ON NOTICE," the post continued. Trump has attempted to renegotiate trade deals with numerous countries he says have taken advantage of the United States – a characterisation many economists dispute. 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The decision has caused some concern in Australia, where biosecurity is seen as essential to prevent diseases and pests from ravaging the farm sector. "We need to know if (the government) is sacrificing our high biosecurity standards just so Prime Minister Anthony Albanese can obtain a meeting with US President Donald Trump," shadow agriculture minister David Littleproud said in a statement. Australia, which imports more from the US than it exports, faces a 10 per cent across-the-board US tariff, as well as 50 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium. Trump has also threatened to impose a 200 per cent tariff on pharmaceuticals. Asked whether the change would help achieve a trade deal, Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell said: "I'm not too sure". "We haven't done this in order to entice the Americans into a trade agreement," he said. "We think that they should do that anyway." 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"If you look around our city and our state, the overwhelming majority of people are tolerant, respectful," he told reporters on Friday. "They're not racist, they're not bigots." Asked if the state government had done enough to stamp out the behaviour, Mr Pearson noted it passed legislation through parliament in April to strengthen Victoria's anti-vilification laws. The criminal aspect of the changes, which make it easier to prove serious vilification in public, private or online, take effect on September 20. Victoria Police were contacted for comment. A state education minister has offered support to a leading Jewish school after a group of 10 and 11 year-old students was allegedly subjected to anti-Semitic taunts. Melbourne's Mount Scopus Memorial College said a group of grade five children were targeted with intimidating slurs "on the basis of their visible Jewish identity". The school alleged the taunts came from students from a different, unnamed high school during an excursion to Melbourne Museum on Thursday. A man who identified himself as a grandfather of one of the primary students said his granddaughter was left "totally traumatised". "She had no understanding why she was told she was a baby killer, why she was told she was a dirty Jew," the man told Melbourne radio station 3AW. Mount Scopus Memorial College principal Dan Sztrajt said the incident was distressing and is being investigated. "No child should ever be made to feel unsafe or targeted because of their identity or background," he said. Mr Sztrajt did not name the other school allegedly involved but said the other principal had expressed concern. "Mount Scopus Memorial College has offered to work together with the other school to ensure that an appropriate educational to this incident is made available," he said. Melbourne Museum operator Museums Victoria said discrimination had no place in its facilities. "Museums Victoria is deeply sorry that this incident has occurred at one of our venues," it said. Victorian Education Minister and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said he had spoken to Mr Sztrajt to convey his "disgust" at the attack on the students and offer every support possible. "It is unacceptable that students or staff feel unsafe in the community where they learn, work and play," he said in a statement. Cabinet minister Danny Pearson said he did not believe anti-Semitism had become a "norm" for Jewish Melburnians. "If you look around our city and our state, the overwhelming majority of people are tolerant, respectful," he told reporters on Friday. "They're not racist, they're not bigots." Asked if the state government had done enough to stamp out the behaviour, Mr Pearson noted it passed legislation through parliament in April to strengthen Victoria's anti-vilification laws. The criminal aspect of the changes, which make it easier to prove serious vilification in public, private or online, take effect on September 20. Victoria Police were contacted for comment. A state education minister has offered support to a leading Jewish school after a group of 10 and 11 year-old students was allegedly subjected to anti-Semitic taunts. Melbourne's Mount Scopus Memorial College said a group of grade five children were targeted with intimidating slurs "on the basis of their visible Jewish identity". The school alleged the taunts came from students from a different, unnamed high school during an excursion to Melbourne Museum on Thursday. A man who identified himself as a grandfather of one of the primary students said his granddaughter was left "totally traumatised". "She had no understanding why she was told she was a baby killer, why she was told she was a dirty Jew," the man told Melbourne radio station 3AW. Mount Scopus Memorial College principal Dan Sztrajt said the incident was distressing and is being investigated. "No child should ever be made to feel unsafe or targeted because of their identity or background," he said. Mr Sztrajt did not name the other school allegedly involved but said the other principal had expressed concern. "Mount Scopus Memorial College has offered to work together with the other school to ensure that an appropriate educational to this incident is made available," he said. Melbourne Museum operator Museums Victoria said discrimination had no place in its facilities. "Museums Victoria is deeply sorry that this incident has occurred at one of our venues," it said. Victorian Education Minister and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said he had spoken to Mr Sztrajt to convey his "disgust" at the attack on the students and offer every support possible. "It is unacceptable that students or staff feel unsafe in the community where they learn, work and play," he said in a statement. Cabinet minister Danny Pearson said he did not believe anti-Semitism had become a "norm" for Jewish Melburnians. "If you look around our city and our state, the overwhelming majority of people are tolerant, respectful," he told reporters on Friday. "They're not racist, they're not bigots." Asked if the state government had done enough to stamp out the behaviour, Mr Pearson noted it passed legislation through parliament in April to strengthen Victoria's anti-vilification laws. The criminal aspect of the changes, which make it easier to prove serious vilification in public, private or online, take effect on September 20. Victoria Police were contacted for comment. A state education minister has offered support to a leading Jewish school after a group of 10 and 11 year-old students was allegedly subjected to anti-Semitic taunts. Melbourne's Mount Scopus Memorial College said a group of grade five children were targeted with intimidating slurs "on the basis of their visible Jewish identity". The school alleged the taunts came from students from a different, unnamed high school during an excursion to Melbourne Museum on Thursday. A man who identified himself as a grandfather of one of the primary students said his granddaughter was left "totally traumatised". "She had no understanding why she was told she was a baby killer, why she was told she was a dirty Jew," the man told Melbourne radio station 3AW. Mount Scopus Memorial College principal Dan Sztrajt said the incident was distressing and is being investigated. "No child should ever be made to feel unsafe or targeted because of their identity or background," he said. Mr Sztrajt did not name the other school allegedly involved but said the other principal had expressed concern. "Mount Scopus Memorial College has offered to work together with the other school to ensure that an appropriate educational to this incident is made available," he said. Melbourne Museum operator Museums Victoria said discrimination had no place in its facilities. "Museums Victoria is deeply sorry that this incident has occurred at one of our venues," it said. Victorian Education Minister and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said he had spoken to Mr Sztrajt to convey his "disgust" at the attack on the students and offer every support possible. "It is unacceptable that students or staff feel unsafe in the community where they learn, work and play," he said in a statement. Cabinet minister Danny Pearson said he did not believe anti-Semitism had become a "norm" for Jewish Melburnians. "If you look around our city and our state, the overwhelming majority of people are tolerant, respectful," he told reporters on Friday. "They're not racist, they're not bigots." Asked if the state government had done enough to stamp out the behaviour, Mr Pearson noted it passed legislation through parliament in April to strengthen Victoria's anti-vilification laws. The criminal aspect of the changes, which make it easier to prove serious vilification in public, private or online, take effect on September 20. Victoria Police were contacted for comment.
AU Financial Review
4 hours ago
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‘Hunted down': Netanyahu, Trump appear to abandon Gaza talks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump appeared on Friday to abandon Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, both saying it had become clear that the Palestinian militants did not want a deal. Netanyahu said Israel was now considering 'alternative' options to achieve its goals of bringing its hostages home from Gaza and ending the rule of Hamas in the territory. Trump said he believed Hamas leaders would now be 'hunted down'. Reuters
