Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has called on Jewish philanthropists to cut off funding to recipients who don’t denounce antisemitism during a rare public speech.
He was awarded the Jerusalem Medal by the World Zionist Organisation, the Zionist Federation of Australia and the Zionist Federation of Victoria during a special presentation on Sunday night.
During his speech at the Melbourne event, a rarity since he stepped down as the state’s longest-serving Labor premier a year ago, Mr Andrews urged the Jewish community to ‘defund’ organisations which refused to denounce antisemitism or showed support for Palestine.
Specifically, he called for charitable members to stop funding creative endeavours which have been silent or unsupportive of Israel since the Hamas attacks began on October 7, 2023.
The attacks claimed the lives of 1,200 people and launched continuing military operations from Israel against Gaza and Lebanon, which are understood to have killed more than 40,000.
‘If people won’t speak out against antisemitism, defund them. If people are happy to take your money while being antisemites, defund them,’ Mr Andrews told event attendees, The Age reported.
‘If you want to support Hamas, then get them to pay your bills, get them to fund your programs and build your buildings. I am serious. We are beyond tropes. Silence and much worse are only possible if there are no consequences.’
The former premier added the Jewish community was the most generous and ‘no state has a better developed culture, endowment and philanthropic giving than Victoria’.
Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews (pictured with his wife, Catherine) told Jewish philanthropists to be wary of who they donate to as he was awarded the Jerusalem Medal by Zionist organisations
Mr Andrews urged Jewish community members to ‘defund’ organisations which refuse to denounce antisemitism or showed support for Palestine (pictured, a pro-Israel rally in Melbourne earlier this year)
‘I would ask each of you respectfully, continue to review your giving. Check and check again that those who so happily benefit from your generosity are not in real terms pretend friends or worse, actually working against the Jewish community and decency itself,’ he said.
Mr Andrews, who has been an outspoken supporter of Israel since he was first elected to state parliament in 2002, was awarded the medal on Sunday for his ‘outstanding contribution’ in building ties between Australia and Israel and supporting the Jewish community.
Other notable guests at the ceremony at the Central Synagogue in Caulfield South, included Israel’s Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon, federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, federal Labor MP Josh Burns and state Liberal MP David Southwick.
Mr Andrews revealed that his long-standing support of Israel was founded in his studies of history and politics of the Middle East at Monash University.
‘My support for Israel has always been grounded in simple and fundamental logic,’ he said.
‘Israel is the only democracy in a despotic region. The only place with gender equality at law, the only place where people are free and safe to love who they love, criticise their government if they wish and organise in their workplaces.
‘Over these last 12 months, I, like all of you, have been angered and saddened by those who know nothing of the history of this region yet opine about its future, those who know little of Israel or the Jewish people, yet feel obliged and able to criticise, and perhaps worst of all, those whose rank antisemitism has been exposed by the events of antisemitism and the conflict.
‘The ferocity and brazenness of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiment is like nothing that I have seen in my lifetime. It is a stain on the nation, and it shames us all.’
Mr Andrews (pictured with his wife) was given the medal on Sunday for his ‘outstanding contribution’ in building ties between Australia and Israel and supporting the Jewish community
As an example of the discrepancy in common Palestinian beliefs versus those held by those protesting on their behalf in Australia, Mr Andrews recalled seeing a pro-Palestine protester wearing a rainbow T-shirt.
‘She was obviously a supporter of the LBQTI+ community, as I am. Try wearing that T-shirt in Gaza and see how that works out for you,’ he said.
Mr Andrews added he would ‘publicly and loudly’ support Jewish community members which rescinded philanthropic funding to organisations due its views towards Israel or Jewish people.
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