SWC Issues Travel Advisory for Jews Considering Travel to Australia

December 9, 2024

As a result of the failure of Australian authorities to stand up against persistent demonization, harassment and violence against Jews and Jewish institutions in Australia, the Simon Wiesenthal Center has issued a travel advisory for any Jews or Israelis considering travel to Australia.

In a letter sent this morning to Kevin Rudd, Australia’s Ambassador to the United States, Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center said:

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is placing a travel advisory on Australia for Jews the world over considering travel to your country to exercise extreme caution. We are not convinced that Jews are safe as the authorities have failed to take necessary measures to protect Jewish communities from increasingly belligerent and violent targeting by lslamists and other extremists.

In explaining the reasons for the travel advisory, Rabbi Cooper stated:

“...in recent years, especially since October 7th, 2023, Jews the world over have been demonized and targeted by Islamists, pro-Hamas extremists, and many in the media and public life. Unfortunately, this includes the dynamic Jewish communities in Australia. This latest attack comes within days of Australia voting for a UN resolution demanding Israel revert back to its indefensible pre-1967 War borders. Such a resolution, far from strengthening hopes for peace only emboldens those who seek Israel's demise, who demean Jewish history, and who hate Judaism, Zionism, and Zionists.”

Reflecting on the climate that has made this violence possible, Rabbi Cooper said “In failing to act against the demonization of Jews, Israel and Zionism on the streets of Australian cities, the authorities have allowed violence against Jews and Israelis to be normalized.”

The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s full letter to the Australian Ambassador can be seen here: https://www.wiesenthal.com/assets/australian-travel-advisory.pdf

For further information, please email Michele Alkin, Director of Global Communications at malkin@wiesenthal.com or Erik Simon at esimon@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed. 

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS, and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).