Australian Jewish groups have applauded the government’s “entirely appropriate” move to expel the Iranian ambassador in light of Iran’s alleged connections to antisemitic attacks in Australia – but say the “horrendous” news has renewed fears among the already traumatised community.
Responding to news the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps will be listed as a terrorist organisation in Australia, Jewish community members said the action was welcome but overdue.
Benjamin Klein, a board member of Melbourne’s Adass Israel synagogue, said Tuesday’s “horrendous” news had caused “general fear” among members of his congregation.
“It’s very concerning. Your mind boggles to think ‘Why would they? What else do they have up their sleeve?’ It should be taken notice of,” Klein said.
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“It’s traumatic and quite stressful for the community. It makes people more fearful.”
The synagogue was was set alight in December, causing significant damage to the building. The arson attack was later declared a terrorist incident and singled out on Tuesday – along with an October arson attack on Lewis’s Continental Kitchen in Bondi – by Anthony Albanese, who said “credible evidence” determined the incidents were directed by Iran.
Iranian diplomats posted to Australia were not involved, the chief of the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (Asio), Mike Burgess, said.
Israel’s embassy in Canberra welcomed the decision, saying it was warranted. “This is a step we have long advocated for … A strong and important move,” a spokesperson said.
The embassy later posted on social media: “Australia has taken a principled stand, others should consider following suit.”
The president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry – Australia’s peak Jewish Group – Daniel Aghion, said it was “entirely appropriate” for the IRGC to be proscribed a terrorist organisation.
“These attacks instigated by the Iranian regime are an attack on our nation and our sovereignty. As Australians, we are outraged that a foreign actor perpetrated acts of terror on our soil. Foremost, these were attacks that deliberately targeted Jewish Australians, destroyed a sacred house of worship, caused millions of dollars of damage, and terrified our community,” he said in a statement in which he also thanked the Australian federal police, Asio and state police forces.
“For many years, we have warned of the threat posed by the Iranian regime … It has consistently shown a willingness and capability to finance and orchestrate terror all over the world,” Aghion said. “Israel’s enemies are Australia’s enemies.”
The Jewish Council of Australia’s Sarah Schwartz said the group was “shocked” to learn of Iran’s involvement in the attacks, and urged caution around politicising the crimes.
“These attacks have instilled fear in the Jewish community. The Jewish Council reaffirms our solidarity with Adass congregants and all impacted by the attacks.
“The fact that a foreign government appears to be responsible shows how irresponsible it was for the attacks to be used to demonise the anti-genocide protest movement. We call on politicians and the media to exercise caution and to avoid politicisation of these attacks in a way that could further harm the Jewish community.”
The president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, Jeremy Leibler, said the organisation was “deeply disturbed” by the “chilling revelations”.
He welcomed the government’s “decisive” action and said it sent “a powerful and principled message that terrorism, foreign interference, and hate have no place in Australia”.
The president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (ECAJ’s state body), David Ossip, labelled the alleged Iranian involvement in the attacks “chilling and deeply concerning”.
“It is difficult to overstate the significance of this unprecedented news,” Ossip said.
“These incidents were nothing less than an attack on Australia by a foreign state, primarily targeting the Jewish community and designed to unravel our social cohesion by legitimising and normalising attacks on the Jewish community.”
Ossip said despite Australia’s Jewish community enduring “a summer of terror”, it had been gaslit by some quarters.
“Those who sought to downplay the threat against the Jewish community or dismiss the campaign of terror targeting our community as a criminal con-job or hoax owe the Jewish community an apology.”
He added that the Iranian-Australian community in Australia – “most of whom despise the despotic Iranian regime” – should not be held responsible for Iran’s actions.
The Australian Iranian Community Alliance said the moment marked a “historic turning point” in Australia’s approach to the Islamic Republic.
“Let us be clear: this is not a diplomatic disagreement with a sovereign nation. This is a countermeasure against a transnational criminal enterprise that has hijacked a country, plundered its resources, destabilised a region, and targeted innocent lives globally – including here in Australia,” the AICA vice-president, Suren Edgar, said.
Klein said the Adass community had been well-supported by the Victorian police, including through weekly meetings at which the synagogue’s leaders had repeatedly raised the possibility of Iran’s involvement in the attack.
“They have managed to piece it together. [The government’s] strong stance is quite significant and we applaud it, we’re very grateful.”
