Australian public figures have been accused of conflating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism, as aid groups condemn an assault on Gaza's last refuge.
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Described by organisers as a movement against anti-Semitism, Never Again is Now held an event on Sunday headlined by former Liberal prime minister Scott Morrison and featured speakers from the Australian Christian Lobby and far-right media outlet Rebel News.
Mr Morrison told the crowd peace in the Middle East was impossible when the Palestinian cause was championed by terrorists and those willing to excuse acts of terrorism and anti-Semitism, and called the United Nations anti-Semitic.
But the Jewish Council of Australia has condemned the rally and accused its speakers of weaponising the Holocaust.
Historian and council executive Max Kaiser accused the Israel lobby of conflating separate issues.
"It does not assist the fight against racism to treat anti-Semitism as different from other forms of racism and to conflate anti-Semitism with support for Palestinian human rights," Dr Kaiser said.
"(The Israel lobby) do not represent the opinions of all Jews, many of whom deplore Israel's human rights abuses."
Human rights lawyer Sarah Schwartz, also an executive on the council, said the willingness of Israel lobby groups to partner with organisations that have a history of racism and bigotry was concerning.
"At a time when the International Court of Justice has found a plausible case that Israel is committing genocide, the weaponisation of false anti-Semitism accusations and Holocaust memory ... is particularly egregious," she said.
As Israel's bombing campaign and blockade on the Palestinian territory extends its fourth month, more than 28,000 have been killed and 1.5 million have been displaced and forced to seek shelter in Rafah, Gaza's last refuge.
But Israel has indicated plans to attack the area in the coming weeks, drawing fierce condemnation from CEOs of Oxfam, Amnesty International and other aid groups.
"If this military plan is not stopped immediately, the consequences will be catastrophic," they wrote in a joint statement.
"All of the Israeli supposed-safe spaces have been compromised, without exception, further proof that there was never truly anywhere safe in Gaza."
On Thursday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his counterparts in Canada and New Zealand released a joint statement expressing their "grave concerns" about Israel's planned ground offensive.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said he would not "pre-judge" a military operation he did not have a thorough knowledge of, but he and the coalition believe Israel has a right to "disable" Hamas.
"How Israel goes about targeting that with such immensely condensed populations requires them to exercise due care," he told ABC radio on Monday.
The latest conflict began on October 7 after the Islamist group Hamas, which controls Gaza and which Australia lists as a terrorist organisation, sent fighters into southern Israel and killed 1200 people, mostly civilians, and seized 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
with Reuters
Australian Associated Press
