Israel’s President Isaac Herzog has written to Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler, welcoming the announcement that Australia will adopt the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, and congratulating the Jewish community for its role in securing its adoption. In the letter, President Herzog wrote, “Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s announcement that the Australian Government will formally endorse the IHRA […]

On Tuesday, 19 October, the Zionist Federation of Australia hosted a background briefing with Australia’s ambassador to the UN, Mitch Fifield. The leadership of key Australian Jewish organisations attended the meeting. Mr Fifield spoke about his recent visit to Israel, as part of a delegation of 10 ambassadors to the UN. The trip was organised […]

The Zionist Federation of Australia welcomes the report by the Intelligence and Security Committee, which recommends that the Government proscribe all of Hamas, and calls on the Minister for Home Affairs to do so. ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said, “That Hamas meets the definition of a terrorist organisation is obvious to anyone who examines Hamas’s […]

The Zionist Federation of Australia welcomes Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s announcement that Australia will adopt the IHRA working definition of antisemitism. “With this announcement”, said ZFA President Jeremy Leibler, “the Government has reconfirmed its commitment to fighting antisemitism. I want to thank the prime minister for his very strong statement on this issue on Wednesday.” […]

The central thesis of John Lyon’s new book, Dateline Jerusalem: Journalism’s Toughest Assignment, is that journalists covering the middle east are bullied into submission by an extremist “Israel Lobby” who prevents the media from fact-based reporting. In an extract of the book published in last Saturday’s Age and Sydney Morning Herald, Lyons suggests that journalists based […]

By Dr. Bren Carlill This article first appeared in the Canberra Times on 22 September 2021 Israel has had a lonely time of it in the Middle East. After seven decades of existence, it only had full diplomatic relations with two Arab countries. The rest, in solidarity with the Palestinians, boycotted the Jewish state. But […]

Education Minister Alan Tudge has called on the Australian Government to adopt the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.  Mr Tudge spoke with the Jewish community leadership on Monday, in a meeting organised by the Zionist Federation of Australia, about the rise in antisemitic incidents on campus and how Australian and Israeli universities can benefit from […]

The Zionist Federation of Australia welcomed the decision by the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) to launch an investigation into ABC’s 27 May Q&A episode that focused on the recently-concluded Hamas–Israel violence. The ZFA submitted a complaint to the ABC after that episode, only to have it dismissed within days. The ABC’s response did not […]

The Zionist Federation of Australia on Friday called for the Australian Government to list all of Hamas as a terrorist organisation. Currently, Australia only proscribes Hamas’s military wing. The ZFA has made a submission to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee calling for this change. ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said “The Government acknowledges that Hamas’s military wing […]

Much of the outrage sparked by barrister Julian Burnside’s recent tweet (since withdrawn) likening the treatment of Palestinians to that of Jews during the Holocaust hinged on the assessment that someone with his level of education should know better.

Zionist Federation of Australia launches “Israel Go”, a funding initiative providing financial support for Gap Year Programs in Israel The Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) is launching an exciting two year pilot program– Israel Go – which provides financial support for young adults to participate in gap year Israel programs in 2022 and 2023.  In […]

The Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) extended condolences to the Phillips family on the passing of communal identity and philanthropist Millie Phillips. Born in Poland, Millie Phillips came to Australia as a young girl, but her experiences facing anti-Semitism had a lasting impact on her.  Life Member of the ZFA Dr. Ron Weiser AM, who […]