Modern antisemitism is built upon old Jewish stereotypes and tropes, the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion has heard. Dr Dave Rich, director of policy at the Community Security Trust, told the inquiry on Thursday how antisemitism has developed over centuries and how it should be defined.
Background of the Commission
The commission, established after the Bondi terror attack, has primarily focused on individuals' lived experiences of antisemitism. Thursday's session examined the historical development of antisemitism and the challenges in defining it.
Defining Antisemitism
Rich described antisemitism as “prejudice, discrimination, hostility or hatred towards Jewish people, Jewish organisations, Jewish institutions, or people perceived to be Jewish,” manifesting in both violent and non-violent forms. He emphasised that governments must define antisemitism to develop effective counter-policies, while acknowledging “edge cases” where good-faith disagreements arise.
He discussed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition, widely used in Australia and elsewhere, which has faced criticism for potentially conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Rich called it a “practical tool” for identification, noting its imprecision is a strength, and urged against over-interpretation.
Historical Tropes
Rich traced antisemitic tropes through history, including:
- Medieval moneylenders: Stereotypes of Jews as greedy and stingy.
- Christ-killer accusation: Persisting for 1,000 years until a 1965 papal declaration.
- Blood libel: False accusations of infanticide against Christian children.
- Protocols of the Elders of Zion: A fraudulent and debunked text.
- Modern-day Nazis trope: A post-Holocaust adaptation.
Collective Guilt and Israel
Rich highlighted that the “fundamental building block of racism” today is the idea of collective guilt. “Holding Jews collectively responsible for the actions of the state of Israel is the justification provided by terrorists who murder Jews around the world,” he said.
The next block of hearings begins on Monday, 25 May, focusing on the conduct of security agencies.
