For months, the corporate media has been saturated by reports of an increase in antisemitism.
Last December, the Australian Federal Police created Special Operation Avalite to investigate threats, violence and hatred towards the Jewish community and New South Wales Labor passed draconian new laws in February which it said were needed because of rising antisemitism.
Also in February, Australian universities endorsed a definition of antisemitism that threatens academic freedom and attempts to silence student protest against Israel’s occupation and genocidal war against Palestine.
You would be forgiven for thinking there is only one form of racism right now. But a newly-released report by Islamophobia Register Australia and Monash University tells a different story.
Islamophobia in Australia, based on data from the Register and compiled by researchers from Monash and Deakin universities, covers Islamophobic incidents over 2023-2024. It reports a disturbing surge of in-person and online incidents of Islamophobia — more than double that of the previous year.
91̳ asked Dr Naser Alziyadat, who wrote a chapter in the report, about his insights into anti-Palestinian racism.
What are the central findings of the report?
The central finding is that Islamophobia is a form of religious discrimination in Australia that cannot be denied.
It has existed for decades, intensifies during global geopolitical events, and is fuelled by political narratives supported by aggressive media campaigns.
Islamophobia involves discrimination, racism, vilification, and bigotry against victims, not for any valid reason, but simply because they are identified as Muslims — even when, in some cases, they are not actually Muslims.
Your specific focus on Islamophobic incidents was anti-Palestinian racism. It has increased so much that the report devoted a specific chapter to the issue. Can you talk about this?
In the aftermath of October 7, 2023, reported Islamophobia incidents surged by 1300%, with some of the victims not being Muslim. This raises an important question: Why do perpetrators often assume that any supporter of the Palestinian cause is Muslim, despite the presence of Palestinian Christians and even Palestinian Jews who also view their land as occupied?
This misconception may partly stem from demographics, as Palestinian Muslims make up approximately 98% of Gaza and the West Bank, while Christians constitute the remaining 2%.
However, political and media narratives play a significant role in shaping this perception.
The religious significance of Palestine, including Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, has been amplified by media narratives that frame Palestinian activism solely as an Islamic struggle, further contributing to the “Islamisation” of the Palestinian cause.
This framing is deeply consequential, as it conflates Islamophobia with anti-Palestinian hate, erasing the distinct experiences of non-Muslim Palestinians while obscuring the complex interplay of political, racial, and religious prejudice.
What impact, if any, has new Special Envoy to combat Islamophobia had?
I had the opportunity to meet with Dr Aftab Malik, the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia. He explained that his role was established to provide guidance to the Australian government, regardless of which political party is in power.
As Special Envoy, his primary responsibility is to advise the government on issues related to Islamophobia and recommend strategies for addressing them effectively. While it may still be too early to observe the tangible impact of his work, as building a system of operation from scratch takes time, I believe Malik is a highly experienced individual with the necessary knowledge and expertise to make a meaningful difference in combating Islamophobia.
How best can government, media and educational institutions combat racism in all its forms?
As a form of racism, Islamophobia requires a concerted effort to educate public sector employees, politicians, police forces, and education sector workers about what constitutes Islamophobia and how to effectively address it.
Raising awareness is a critical step in tackling the issue.
However, I want to share a personal perspective that I believe is equally relevant: Australia needs to undergo a process of mental decolonisation. The lingering effects of colonial heritage, embedded in the Constitution and reinforced by certain discriminatory and xenophobic political narratives, perpetuate a superior-inferior dynamic.
Those who discriminate often frame their actions within an “us versus them” narrative, driven by an obsession with demonising the “other”. In my opinion, this mindset is a vestige of colonial heritage that must be addressed to ensure future generations can live together peacefully and inclusively.