ABC’s global affairs editor Laura Tingle speaking on the global reaction to the Australian Government’s measures to combat antisemitism

ABC NEWS (Australia)

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00:00Well, I think a bit like we're seeing in Australia, Ros, there started to be a bit of a splintering

00:06of debate about Australia's responses in the international media.

00:10I'd have to say, quite a lot of it isn't particularly well informed, sort of always, not quite Chinese

00:18whispers, but whatever the equivalent is, so there's a lot of people saying, have been

00:22taking up the point that Australia should have done more, have taken on board the criticisms

00:28by Prime Minister Netanyahu, or they're essentially just sort of thinking for themselves.

00:34You know, there's lots of commentary pieces in the major media in the last 24 hours to

00:40that effect about, you know, what the nature of anti-Semitism is and, you know, what causes

00:45it.

00:46So, criticism, but people aren't really completely informed about what's going on here.

00:53What about the conversation about gun reform?

00:55We've just had a discussion prior to our chat.

00:58How's that being received globally?

01:00Well, I think people are starting to use this as an opportunity to reflect on the fact that

01:05there has been gun reform around the world in response to various mass killings, whether

01:11it's been in Scotland, New Zealand, England over the years, and essentially sort of saying,

01:20well, Australia was still out there early.

01:22And I don't think anybody's really done a lot more than Australia has done, sort of in

01:27terms of the sorts of rifles that have been, and shotguns that have been contained, particularly.

01:33A lot of people have followed the Australian model.

01:36So, it's becoming a bit more confused, I suppose you'd have to say, about what the answers are,

01:43which is, we just saw in that incredibly willing press conference, you know, people want somebody

01:48to blame, want to know what could have been done.

01:51And the international coverage reflects the same sort of thing, I think.

01:55So, the Israeli ambassador to Australia visited the scene this morning and echoed calls for

02:01stronger protection of the Jewish community.

02:04He did. It was a very dignified appearance by the ambassador. He didn't sort of take the

02:13line that his Prime Minister has taken in the last couple of days. He was essentially saying,

02:18look, I'm here primarily to grieve this community, which I've been part of for the last four years,

02:25and which contains a lot of my friends. Some of my friends were killed. And, you know,

02:29we haven't buried our dead yet. And so, the focus has got to be on this. But, we do have to work

02:35out, as an Australian society, or the Australian society has to work out, how it deals with

02:39anti-Semitism going forward.

02:41Let's hear from the Abbas Dene.

02:43I hope that tomorrow will be better than yesterday. And I hope that all necessary measures will be

02:51taken in order to make sure that the life of the Australians of Jewish faith will be secured.

02:59What are those measures?

03:01Well, it's education. It's first and foremost because it's needed enhanced security measures,

03:08even though, on a personal basis, I believe that it's needed. Although I believe it's needed,

03:13it's not the answer. The only community that is in need to go through security in order to exercise

03:22their right to worship their God is the Jewish community. I don't know when was the last time

03:27that you visit a temple, a church, or a mosque. The doors are open. Only the Jewish, the Australians

03:36of Jewish faith are forced to worship their gods behind closed doors, CCTV guards. It's insane.

03:46It certainly is, Roz. And I think the overall message from the Ambassador really was, look,

03:52it's not just about governments. It's not just about legislation. It's about the community

03:58looking at itself and speaking out when it should speak out and, you know, considering what is said

04:04on an everyday basis that might be fuelling any sort of anti-Semitism in the community.

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