Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has called on Jewish philanthropists to cut funding to recipients who fail to denounce anti-Semitism in a rare public speech.
During a special presentation on Sunday evening, he received the Jerusalem Medal from the World Zionist Organization, the Zionist Federation of Australia and the Zionist Federation of Victoria.
Speaking at the event in Melbourne, a rarity since he resigned as the state’s longest-serving Labor premier a year ago, Mr Andrews urged the Jewish community to denounce or support organizations that refused to denounce anti-Semitism showed to Palestine, to ‘defund’ it.
In particular, he called on charity members to stop funding creative efforts that 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 continued military operations from Israel against Gaza and Lebanon, reportedly killing more than 40,000 people.
‘If people don’t speak out against anti-Semitism, defund them. “If people are willing to take your money when they are anti-Semites, undo them,” Mr Andrews told event attendees. The era reported.
“If you want to support Hamas, let them pay your bills, let them finance your programs and build your buildings. I’m serious. We are beyond the tropes. Silence and much worse is only possible if there are no consequences.’
The former Prime Minister added that the Jewish community was the most generous and that “no state has a better developed culture, endowments and philanthropic donations than Victoria.”
Former Victorian Prime Minister 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 members of the Jewish community to ‘defund’ organizations that refuse to denounce anti-Semitism or show support for Palestine (photo: a pro-Israel rally in Melbourne earlier this year)
“I would respectfully ask each of you to continue to review your donations. “Check and double-check that those who are so eager to benefit from your generosity are not true friends, or worse, who are actually going 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 the State Parliament in 2002, received the medal on Sunday for his “outstanding contribution” to 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 Israeli Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon, federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, federal Labor MP Josh Burns and Liberal MP David Southwick.
Mr Andrews revealed that his long-standing support for Israel stemmed from his studies of Middle Eastern history and politics at Monash University.
“My support for Israel has always been based on simple and fundamental logic,” he said.
‘Israel is the only democracy in a despotic region. The only place with gender equality in the law, the only place where people are free and safe to love who they love, criticize their government if they want to, and organize in their workplaces.
“Over the past twelve months, I, like all of you, have been angry and saddened by those who know nothing about the history of this region and yet have an opinion about its future, those who know little about Israel or the Jewish people, but yet feel obliged and able to criticize, perhaps worst of all, those whose deepest anti-Semitism has been exposed by the events of anti-Semitism and the conflict.
“The cruelty and brutality of the anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiment is like nothing I have seen in my life. It is a stain on the nation and we are all ashamed of it.”
Mr Andrews (pictured with his wife) received the medal on Sunday for his ‘outstanding contribution’ to building ties between Australia and Israel and supporting the Jewish community
As an example of the discrepancy between common Palestinian beliefs and those of those protesting on their behalf in Australia, Mr Andrews recalled seeing a pro-Palestinian protester wearing a rainbow T-shirt.
“She was clearly a supporter of the LBQTI+ community, as am I. Try wearing that T-shirt in Gaza and see how that works out for you,” he said.
Mr Andrews added that he would “publicly and loudly” support members of the Jewish community who have withdrawn philanthropic funding from organizations because of their views on Israel or the Jewish people.