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When Iran ‘s fingerprints were found on arson attacks against a Melbourne synagogue and a kosher café in Bondi, Sydney , the message could not have been clearer: Australia’s pluralism is a threat to their radical ideology. Even when our government defies Israel by recognising Palestine before all the Hamas hostages are returned, Iran still sees our way of life as their enemy.
This wasn’t a crime of passion. It was state-sponsored terrorism on our soil. (Although I note there are some on the Left whose loathing for Israel and support for its enemies are so strong that they refuse to believe ASIO’s announcement.) Anthony Albanese did the right thing once the intelligence case was made, expelling Iran’s ambassador and other diplomats swiftly, pulling our people out of Tehran and moving to list the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation. It’s the first time since World War II we have sent an ambassador packing this way. That’s no small thing.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Iran didn’t lash out because Australia had been too pro-Israel. Only weeks earlier, the government had proudly declared it would recognise a Palestinian state. That was meant to show we weren’t blindly in Israel’s camp. Yet Tehran still went after Jewish Australians. Why? Because for Iran, it isn’t about policy – it’s about ideology. Iran funds and arms Hamas, which – let’s not forget – is a terrorist organisation that has long controlled Palestine.
To them, Jews living freely in Australia are fair game, and we now know with certainty that is Iran’s view, too. This is why choosing one’s friends carefully matters most. Whatever your disagreements with Israel – and yes, there are plenty – no Israeli government would sponsor attacks on another democracy’s soil.
Democracies don’t do that to one another. They argue, they fall out, they change governments, but they don’t torch religious buildings in foreign cities, or target free citizens they don’t share common values with.
Yet former politicians and others – including one-time Labor foreign minister Bob Carr and Julian Assange – marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge while images of the Ayatollah fluttered above the crowd. Maybe they weren’t aware of the optics of this? (It is not suggested that they support the Iranian regime or its actions.) Remember when the Left was up in arms because Tony Abbott addressed a rally in Canberra with signs that said ‘ditch the witch’? It was a reference to then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The outrage was palpable.
The same regime whose face adorned those banners during the recent bridge protests is now accused of lighting fires in our suburbs. Aligning our nation with a cause on the other side of the world while ignoring who bankrolls it is reckless. This is the complication so many in politics try to wish away. It’s not as simple as saying we support Palestine and hope the violence stops. Palestine is fractured, divided between moderates and extremists, with too many of the latter still wielding influence to be ignored.
Iran backs the extremists, so when Australia signals its recognition of Palestine, that doesn’t buy goodwill from Iran. That’s been confirmed in the most frightening of ways now. It risks emboldening anyone who sees liberal democracy as the enemy. Which is why our government now faces a credibility test. Acting swiftly on the expulsions was commendable, as mentioned. Following through with an official terrorist listing for the regime will be essential. Beyond that, our leaders need to be far more mindful of the company they keep, on the streets and on the international stage.
Ultimately, how Australia positions itself isn’t just about the Middle East. It’s about whether Australians of any faith can live without fear in their own country. That’s what pluralism represents. If Iran wants to burn that democratic ideal down, then our foreign policy must be built on a simple rule: stand with like-minded democracies and reject the values of those who would attack us. Israel, despite its actions, is still a democracy in a sea of Middle East dictatorships – one of which has now tried to terrorise Jews on Australian soil.
