At the recent Festival of Dangerous Ideas (FODI) in Sydney, controversy arose over the nature of discussions and the perspectives promoted, particularly concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. One session titled “How to Start a Cult” drew attention amid broader criticism that the event has regularly served as a forum for what some describe as an anti-Zionist agenda.

Lynda Ben-Menashe, an outspoken critic of the festival, characterizes anti-Zionism as resembling a “hysterical cult” marked by rigid moral binaries, ideological purity tests, and social ostracism akin to an Inquisition. She contends that rhetoric presented at FODI has contributed to a "tidal wave of hatred and violence" in Australia, linking it to a broader historical and ideological pattern of Jew hatred. Ben-Menashe references US academic Dara Horn’s analysis of antisemitism's origins, citing Wilhelm Marr, who coined the term “antisemitism” in 1879 to rationalize and mask overt Jew hatred. According to her, the Soviet Union later repurposed this animosity into “anti-Zionism” as a political tool, reframing Israel as an imperialist oppressor despite Zionism’s roots as an anti-colonial movement aimed at Jewish self-determination.

Ben-Menashe argues that contemporary Western frameworks, particularly those centered on "human rights," have absorbed and perpetuated these hostile narratives about Israel. She points to a mass protest across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge in August 2023, where diverse groups ranging from feminists to politically diverse activists assembled, unified by opposition to Israel. She interprets this as evidence of how anti-Zionist sentiments function as effective political coalition-building tools, quoting Harvard Professor Ruth Wisse on the utility of Jew hatred in uniting disparate factions.

The criticism extends to accusations that foreign states such as Iran, Russia, and China have used such narratives to infiltrate and influence Western institutions, spreading false and harmful claims against Israel, including allegations of targeting and starving Palestinian children, organ harvesting, and apartheid. Ben-Menashe connects these libels to real-world violence against Jewish Australians, referencing recent hate crimes, firebombings, and the murder of 15 people on Bondi Beach.

In a letter sent to FODI in 2024, Ben-Menashe described a particular presentation that displayed images purportedly showing Israeli drones targeting children and bags labeled as human flesh allegedly seized from Palestinians—which she contests were presented without verification or challenge by moderators. She argues that in the aftermath of violent incidents linked to incendiary rhetoric, FODI should no longer provide a platform to speakers who disseminate such accusations.

The debate raises broader questions about freedom of speech, the boundaries between criticism and incitement, and the responsibilities of public forums hosting politically sensitive discussions. FODI organizers have not publicly responded to these specific allegations.