Lidia Thorpe backs calls for probe into Israel’s Australian ‘anti-Semitism’ dossier

Lidia Thorpe has joined calls for a government probe into whether Israel breached foreign interference laws after publishing a dossier into “anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism” in Australia.

The outspoken Senator was one of several state and federal Labor, Greens, and independent MPs named in the Israeli Ministry for Diaspora Affairs’ September special report as “generators” that “promote hate toward Jews or Israelis”.

The publicly available dossier claimed Senator Thorpe was a “prominent and vocal critic” of Israel policies, particularly in relation to Palestine, and quoted a number of controversial incidents and statements.

In a statement, Senator Thorpe rejected “claims of anti-Semitism” and joined calls on Wednesday by NSW Labor MLC Anthony D’Adam, who wrote to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke urging that the document be investigated as possible foreign interference.

“This dossier is just further evidence that Israel is prepared to go to any length to intimidate in an effort to suppress and undermine legitimate criticism of its genocidal actions in Palestine,” Senator Thorpe said.

“I support an investigation into whether the Israeli government has violated foreign influence laws with this doxing and would seek that it go further by investigating Israel’s longstanding targeted attempts to influence lawmakers.”

The Victorian Senator noted the lack of white supremacists or neo-Nazi groups on the list, which also included prominent pro-Palestine groups, such as the Palestine Action Group and the Whistleblowers, Activists and Communities Alliance (WACA).

“Many on this list are staunch anti-war, anti-genocide advocates and organisations, registered charities that provides legal support to Palestinian activists, and black and brown women speaking out against their own oppression and struggles against colonialism and genocide not just in Israel, but globally.

“I stand with the Jewish community, but I do call out the actions of the state of Israel which are in contravention of international law and I will certainly not apologise for that.”

Israel has rejected accusations its actions in Gaza amount to genocide when a case was brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice.

Mr D’Adam, a member of the NSW upper house, on Wednesday warned Australian citizens and residents might have also been involved in foreign interference by acting as sources for the Israeli government, urging Mr Burke to review the material in a January 5 letter.

Mr D’Adam was described in the dossier as “an advocate of Palestinian rights” in the NSW Labor Party and cited statements in parliament in which he claimed Israel engaged in “acts of terrorism” during its war for independence.

The Western Sydney MLC urged Mr Burke to have the Department of Home Affairs examine the material, which he warned may constitute foreign interference, and to advise if any offences had been committed.

“I request the Australian government make representations to the Israeli government expressing Australia's concern at these inappropriate activities and call on the Israeli government to desist from such activities in the future,” Mr D’Adam said.

In a response to questions, a spokesperson for Mr Burke said “correspondence which contains allegations of unlawful conduct is passed on to relevant agencies as a matter of course”.

Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs, has played a prominent role since the Bondi Beach terror attack, flying into Sydney in the wake of the mass shooting.

Mr Chikli last week penned a separate letter to Mr Burke in which he lashed the government’s response and said Israel would train senior Australian police in counter-terrorism and combating anti-Semitism.

In his letter, Mr D’Adam denied “any assertion” that he had engaged in anti-Semitism, stating the dossier contained “considerable conflation of criticism with Israel” as anti-Semitism.

The dossier purports to examine “trends, key influencers, incidents, and groups” involved in anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in Australia.

It lists NSW, Victoria and Queensland as hotspots for alleged anti-Semitic posts – Canberra, meanwhile, reported the most alleged posts per capita.

The report also named key figures in the pro-Palestine movement as “anti-Semitic/anti-Israel generators and influencers”, including the Palestine Action Group, BDS Australia and Students for Palestine USYD.

A number of politicians were also named, including Mr D’Adam, Senator Fatima Payman, Lidia Thorpe, Mehreen Faruqi and Adam Bandt.

“The dossier does not, in the case of politicians listed, provide any examples of anti-Semitism or criticism of Jewish people in general on the basis of their racial, ethnic, or religious identity,” Mr D’Adam said in his letter to Mr Burke.

Mr D’Adam last year claimed he was told he “would not be allowed to speak” by a senior Labor official during a debate about Palestine at a 2024 party conference.

Addressing the upper house, Mr D’Adam claimed he was “howled down, abused” and urged to resign after a later Labor caucus meeting when he “make pointed criticisms of the Premier in respect to the issues of Palestine” and the Sydney Harbour Bridge protest.

A number of Labor MPs broke with Premier Chris Minns to join the march.

Mr Minns said, at the time, that there were “tough debates” in the party room but denied any bullying.

“If you’re in a position where you’re going to advance a tough argument, sometimes you can expect people to come back and give their two cents as well,” he said.

For her part, Senator Thorpe drew controversy after attending a controversial Queensland University of Technology conference that featured a “Dutton’s Jew” cartoon and left a Jewish academic in tears.

In July 2024, she faced calls to resign after she posted a photo of herself wearing a green headband some claimed resembled those worn by terrorist group Hamas.

Both incidents were reported in the dossier.

The Israeli government has been contacted for comment.