Israeli ambassador shocked over recent Victorian antisemitic attacks
'I do hope that in the future we will see some more arrests of people that were involved in antisemitic attacks,' Mr Maimon told Sky News host Sharri Markson.
'To be honest, when I was appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I was told by some of my very capable predecessors that there is no better place than Australia to spend the last few years before retirement.
'I didn't expect that during my tenure I would be visiting so many synagogues.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

ABC News
5 hours ago
- ABC News
UN says almost 800 people killed near Gaza aid hubs in six weeks
Nearly 800 people have died trying to access aid in Gaza since late May, with most killed near the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's sites, the UN said Friday. An officially private effort, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operations on May 26 after Israel halted supplies into the Gaza Strip for more than two months, sparking warnings of imminent famine. Since those operations began through to July 7, UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the agency had recorded "615 killings in the vicinity of the GHF sites". Another 183 people had been killed "presumably on the routes of aid convoys" carried out by UN and other aid organisations, she told reporters in Geneva. "This is nearly 800 people who have been killed while trying to access aid," she said, adding that "most of the injuries are gunshot injuries". GHF operations, which effectively sidelined a vast UN aid delivery network in Gaza, have been marred by chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Israeli forces firing on people waiting to collect rations. The GHF, which said Thursday it had distributed more than 69 million meals to date, has denied that fatal shootings have occurred in the immediate vicinity of its aid points. The Israeli army has accused Hamas of being responsible for firing at civilians in the vicinity of aid centres. The army said Friday it had issued instructions to Israel's forces in the field "following lessons learned" after reports of deadly incidents at distribution facilities. It explained that it "allows the American civilian organisation (GHF) to distribute aid to Gaza residents independently, and operates in proximity to the new distribution zones to enable the distribution alongside the continuation of IDF operational activities in the Gaza Strip". "As part of this effort, IDF forces have recently worked to reorganise the area through the installation of fences, signage placement, the opening of additional routes, and other measures," it said. The army stressed that "following incidents in which harm to civilians who arrived at distribution facilities was reported, thorough examinations were conducted," adding those incidents were "under review by the competent authorities in the IDF". Ms Shamdasani highlighted that the UN rights office had repeatedly raised "serious concerns about respect for international humanitarian law principles" in the war in Gaza, which erupted following Hamas's deadly October 7, 2023, attack inside Israel. "Where people are lining up for essential supplies such as food and medicine, and where they are being attacked, where… they have a choice between being shot or being fed, this is unacceptable," she said. The Gaza war was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed nearly 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, while displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million and causing a hunger crisis. wires

Sky News AU
7 hours ago
- Sky News AU
‘Not going to tolerate' antisemitism: Bill Shorten outlines university's plan to combat ‘hate' following envoy report
University of Canberra's Vice-Chancellor and former Labor leader Bill Shorten has outlined the universities' plan to combat antisemitism on camps, saying 'we're not going to tolerate people being treated badly' due to their Jewish heritage. Australia's Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal handed down a major report on Thursday, just one year after the business executive was appointed to the role. Ms Segal ordered university chancellors and vice-chancellors to cooperate with her plan to stamp out antisemitism on campuses, or risk funding cuts. Following the recommendations announcement, Mr Shorten said he thought it was important to promptly take a stance on the matter, as 'Antisemitism is real'. 'It's not a creation of the right wing or Israel lobbyists, antisemitism is real. It's a centuries-old hate, and we thought it was all in the history books but now it's come out of the drains,' Mr Shorten told Sky News on Friday. In light of incidents such the alleged arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue last week, Mr Shorten said antisemitism needs to 'be called out' 'And Jewish Australians have got to know... we're not going to tolerate people being treated badly because they're Jewish,' he said. Pressed as to whether the University of Canberra will be implementing the special envoy's recommendations, the vice-chancellor said it will work with other universities and will ensure the safety of students with Jewish heritage on campus. 'I do not want people coming from outside the campus causing grief, and Australians of Jewish heritage have got to feel that when they come to the University of Canberra, this is a place where they can study, learn, be treated with respect,' Mr Shorten said. '... UC wants students of all faith, including kids of Jewish heritage.' Ms Segal's report outlines a series of measures needed in order to combat antisemitism, which it claimed had 'reached a tipping point that threatens social harmony, undermines trust in institutions and marginalises Jewish Australian citizens'. Ms Segal told Sky News host Sharri Markson on Thursday that she planned to delegate work for 'different parties', especially the federal and state government, and educational and cultural institutions. 'There's support I will need from the federal government, but also from state governments, also from leaders in society, leaders of cultural institutions, chancellors and vice-chancellors at universities,' Ms Segal said. 'I will be putting them to the task of supporting me when I need federal government support, but equally I'll be looking to state governments to support educational initiatives. 'I'll looking to universities to continue what has been very cooperative stance from them in moving towards initiatives to combat antisemitism on campuses.'

ABC News
9 hours ago
- ABC News
UN says almost 800 people killed near Gaza aid hubs in in six weeks
Nearly 800 people have died trying to access aid in Gaza since late May, with most killed near the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's sites, the UN said Friday. An officially private effort, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operations on May 26 after Israel halted supplies into the Gaza Strip for more than two months, sparking warnings of imminent famine. Since those operations began through to July 7, UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the agency had recorded "615 killings in the vicinity of the GHF sites". Another 183 people had been killed "presumably on the routes of aid convoys" carried out by UN and other aid organisations, she told reporters in Geneva. "This is nearly 800 people who have been killed while trying to access aid," she said, adding that "most of the injuries are gunshot injuries". GHF operations, which effectively sidelined a vast UN aid delivery network in Gaza, have been marred by chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Israeli forces firing on people waiting to collect rations. The GHF, which said Thursday it had distributed more than 69 million meals to date, has denied that fatal shootings have occurred in the immediate vicinity of its aid points. The Israeli army has accused Hamas of being responsible for firing at civilians in the vicinity of aid centres. The army said Friday it had issued instructions to Israel's forces in the field "following lessons learned" after reports of deadly incidents at distribution facilities. It explained that it "allows the American civilian organisation (GHF) to distribute aid to Gaza residents independently, and operates in proximity to the new distribution zones to enable the distribution alongside the continuation of IDF operational activities in the Gaza Strip". "As part of this effort, IDF forces have recently worked to reorganise the area through the installation of fences, signage placement, the opening of additional routes, and other measures," it said. The army stressed that "following incidents in which harm to civilians who arrived at distribution facilities was reported, thorough examinations were conducted," adding those incidents were "under review by the competent authorities in the IDF". Ms Shamdasani highlighted that the UN rights office had repeatedly raised "serious concerns about respect for international humanitarian law principles" in the war in Gaza, which erupted following Hamas's deadly October 7, 2023 attack inside Israel. "Where people are lining up for essential supplies such as food and medicine, and where they are being attacked, where… they have a choice between being shot or being fed, this is unacceptable," she said. AFP