SAEDNEWS: In a sharp reversal of democratic ideals, Australia is reportedly expelling foreign students supporting the Palestinian cause, raising alarms over shrinking space for free speech as universities face pressure to crack down on anti-Israel sentiment.
According to Saed News, citing a report by ABC News America, universities across Australia have begun expelling foreign students accused of supporting the Palestinian cause, amid growing government pressure to combat what is officially labeled as “antisemitism.” The move follows recommendations delivered Thursday by Jillian Segal, Australia’s Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism.
Segal’s report comes in the wake of a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. She claimed that antisemitic acts—ranging from physical assaults to graffiti and arson—have more than tripled across the country, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne, which host 85% of Australia’s Jewish population.
The report urges the federal government to make funding for universities contingent upon their active response to antisemitism, effectively threatening public budgets for institutions that host or tolerate pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Australia’s universities have become focal points for such activism in recent months, echoing similar protests across campuses in the U.S. and Europe.
"Given its long and ugly history, we cannot hope to eliminate antisemitism entirely," Segal told reporters. "But we can push it to the fringes of society." Her top priority, as outlined in the report, is holding public institutions—especially universities—accountable for their stance on antisemitism.
In one of its more controversial elements, the report calls for the expulsion of non-citizens involved in antisemitic behavior and the pre-screening of potential immigrants for anti-Israel or “antisemitic” leanings. The term remains vaguely defined in the report, prompting criticism from civil liberties groups and pro-Palestinian activists who argue that opposition to Israeli policies is being conflated with hatred of Jews.
Further, the report recommends cutting government funding not only to educational institutions but also to cultural centers, artists, media outlets, and individuals who allegedly promote “antisemitic narratives,” however subtly.
Critics argue that this sweeping crackdown on dissent is turning Australia’s public sphere into a loyalty test for Zionism, with grave consequences for freedom of speech and political expression. Supporters, meanwhile, see it as a necessary step to protect Jewish Australians from escalating hostility.
With Segal now working directly with the government to enforce these recommendations, a growing number of foreign students, particularly those vocal in support of Palestine, find themselves targeted for deportation—a move that may set a troubling precedent for democracies worldwide.
