Jewish Leader Warns of Increased Risk of Foreign Interference in Australia without Addressing Social Cohesion Issues

An Australian Jewish leader has raised concerns about the serious ramifications of not tackling the nation’s social cohesion issues.

The flyers seemed to originate from Macau.

While offering a $200,000 reward for information on pro-democracy lawyer Kevin Yam in Melbourne, the author of the flyers targeted fellow lawyer Ted Hui in a manner that indicated a deep understanding of Australia’s social issues.

A flyer sent to a mosque in South Australia falsely alleged that Hui was assisting Jews and Israelis with legal matters.

Social tensions have escalated in Australia following the October 7, 2023, terror attacks in Israel and the subsequent Israel-Hamas conflict.

Hui clarified that he had not publicly expressed a stance on the Middle Eastern conflict.

Social cohesion, or the lack thereof, has become a significant topic ahead of the federal election due to rising reports of anti-Semitism.

Robert Gregory, CEO of the Australian Jewish Association, urges the government to act promptly to prevent external forces from exploiting social cohesion issues.

Expressing his concerns to The Epoch Times, Gregory stated, “It appears that malicious foreign elements are seeking to capitalize on the recent decline in social cohesion in Australia to incite tensions.”

He added, “If the Albanese Government fails to address social cohesion issues in Australia, we can expect more foreign interference and bad actors taking advantage of the situation.”

Hui, in a previous interview with The Epoch Times, noted that the incident indicates close monitoring of Australia by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemned the harassment of Australian citizens by foreign entities following the incident.

The Islamic Society of South Australia was approached for a response to the situation.