New CIS paper:  how antisemitism is becoming mainstream 

A new CIS paper – the first in its antisemitism campaign – provides valuable insight into the cause of a five-fold increase in antisemitic incidents in Australia since the October 7 massacre in Israel by Hamas terrorists. 

The paper by senior contributor Julie Claridge, Reframing an Ancient Hatred: the intersection of left-wing antisemitism and anti-Zionism, gives context to a report earlier this month by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry which documents the increase from an average of 342 prior to October 2023 to 1654 this year. This includes including the torching the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne and arson attacks in Sydney 

The executive council report warned that anti-Jewish racism “has left the fringes of society and become part of the mainstream”, a point reinforced by Claridge in her paper. 

Claridge explains how the very definition of ‘antisemitism’ has become an ideological battleground and anti-Zionism is being used as a tool not only against Israel, but also the Jewish people in general.  

Zionism began as a movement focused on Jewish national identity and the establishment of a Jewish homeland, Claridge says. “However, the current discourse around Zionism is heavily influenced by ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly in Gaza, reflecting a broader debate driven by the left on identity, rights, and the nature of the Israeli state.  

“For some, this has culminated in arguments that question the establishment of a Jewish state at the expense of Palestinian rights,” she says, which has been reinforced by constant activist-organised street marches in Australia’s capital cities. 

Claridge describes how when respected institutions redefine genocide, apartheid and human rights in order to target Israel exclusively, postmodern antisemitism finds its most recent and most sophisticated expression: the inversion of moral language being used to fuel an ancient hatred. 

“Since the beginning of the new millennium, anti-Zionism has been used as a framework for expressing anti-Jewish sentiment in contexts where overt antisemitism is unacceptable,” she says. 

Like a mutating virus, antisemitism has adapted old tropes to modern contexts, Claridge says.  

“The 12th century blood libel has evolved into accusations of the indiscriminate killing of children in Gaza, while other stereotypes, such as Jews controlling global affairs, orchestrating violence in Gaza, or profiteering from COVID-19, continue to fuel hostility.  

“The interplay between antisemitism and anti-Zionism complicates efforts to address it, as seen in the confusion and controversy surrounding their overlap.”  

CIS antisemitism program head Peter Kurti says the global response to October 7 has shown how quickly the veneer of ‘anti-racism’ can be stripped away to reveal something far darker.  

“It has demonstrated how mainstream institutions, from universities, to media, to international courts, can be captured by ideological frameworks that render Jews as permanent outsiders to their own moral universe,” he says. 

“Understanding these patterns remains essential for defending not merely the interests of Jewish people and the Jewish state, but the integrity of democratic discourse itself.” 

Julie Claridge is a retired lawyer with a 35-year career spanning several disciplines. She served as a judicial officer on the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Guardianship Division) and practised as a corporate lawyer at a major Australian law firm.