A senior rabbi representing the Chabad congregation in Bondi has told a federal royal commission that the Albanese government was unprepared to manage pro-Palestine protests that occurred shortly after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. The claim was included in a submission to the Antisemitism and Social Cohesion Royal Commission but was not further examined during the commission’s proceedings.

Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, chief rabbi of the Bondi Chabad community, recounted a private conversation he had with a federal MP in November 2023 regarding why pro-Palestine demonstrations were allowed to proceed in Sydney on October 8 and 9. According to the submission, the MP described the situation as “uncharted territory” and admitted not feeling equipped to handle the protests. “The Australian government does not lack the machinery for rapid response to public danger, what was absent was the decision to use it,” the submission stated.

Rabbi Ulman and fellow rabbi Mendy Ulman co-authored the submission, which called for the establishment of national hate-speech laws modeled on legislation recently passed in Queensland. That state law restricts the use of specific protest slogans, including “from the river to the sea” and “globalise the intifada,” imposing criminal penalties for their malicious use. Queensland’s legislation is currently facing a High Court challenge after protesters disputed its validity. Since its introduction, more than 20 individuals have been charged under the law.

The Chabad submission urged the commission to recommend a national legal standard that would ban public chants or slogans that convey the destruction of Jewish people. Rabbi Ulman emphasized the need for clear thresholds for intervention, warning that certain slogans, such as “gas the Jews,” “globalise intifada,” and “from the river to the sea,” explicitly promote violence or the destruction of Jews. He argued that a delayed or uncertain response risked normalizing antisemitic language.

Rabbi Ulman appeared as the final witness before the commission, delivering a closing address without being questioned by the commission’s lawyers. The alleged admission by the federal MP was not challenged or explored further, and no government ministers were called to testify on the matter.

The submission adds to ongoing discussions about how Australia’s government and law enforcement should respond to protests that intersect with international conflicts and the potential for incitement or hate speech. It reflects concerns within Jewish communities about antisemitism and the effectiveness of current policies in addressing it.