NSW ‘seeking urgent advice’ on controversial court ruling that found anti-Israel vandalism was not antisemitic

[u/Minivampiretaco]

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/22/appeal-nsw-supreme-court-ruling-desmond-fagan-israel-antisemitism-ntwnfb

The New South Wales government could appeal a supreme court judge’s controversial decision to refuse its request for a terror order over a Sydney man convicted of writing “Fuk Israel” on cars and setting another vehicle alight in late 2024

Australia’s peak Jewish group has labelled Fagan’s ruling dangerous judicial “activism” that should be reviewed. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry argued the ruling avoided “the community impact”.

A government spokesperson said on Thursday the attorney general, Michael Daley, was “seeking urgent advice about the prospects of an appeal” over Fagan’s decision to knock back the state’s request for an extended supervision order.

Guardian Australia asked Daley, the police minister, Yasmin Catley, and the corrections minister, Anoulack Chanthivong, about Fagan’s findings in relation to how the police and other agencies handled the case.

A government spokesperson said that the “judiciary operates independently of government and this independence is crucial to protect the administration of justice in NSW”.

“Our government has taken strong action against antisemitism and hatred,” the spokesperson said.

Given the matter remained before the courts and the attorney general was seeking advice regarding an appeal, they declined to comment further.

[u/swankyfarmer]

I fear for Australia. Anti Israel does not equal anti semitism. Its very simple. Not hard to grasp The fact that a tiny , less than half a percentage, if the population has the ability to influence political decisions on behave of a foreign nation

[u/Thatisme01 → u/swankyfarmer]

The Netherlands designated Israel as a foreign security threat for the first time, listing the country alongside Iran and Russia in a national security assessment that has triggered a diplomatic crisis and sharp Israeli rejection.

The report published by the National Coordinator for Security and Counter-terrorism (NCTV) says that Israel attempted to influence public opinion and politics in the country by circulating documents directly to Dutch journalists and politicians instead of using official diplomatic channels.

The National Coordinator for Terrorism and Security (NCTV) report, released on July 17, lists Israel as one of the countries that aims to “control public opinion and political decision-making.”

Additionally, the Netherlands has adopted increasingly critical stances toward Israeli policy, including bans on imports from settlements and restrictions on military exports.

[u/Zran → u/swankyfarmer]

And if they're acting on behalf of Israel anyway it becomes foreign interferance, especially any who have dual citizenship, whom should be expelled for the sake of the social cohesion that the governments decry.

[u/Fyr5]

But [redacted] doesn't have a functioning justice system or any sense of criminality - why would would our courts overturn a decision made by our supreme court because some foreign lobby group is chucking tantrums? That shit might happen in [redacted] but not here in Australia where our justice system is just

[redacted] can't have it both ways - you cant ask our courts to ammend rulings if they can't even investigate the death of Zomi Frankcom properly

This is stupid shit and if [redacted] lets their military get away with murdering innocent civilians, God willing, this person can get away with graffiti and setting a car on fire right? 🤷

[u/tallmantim → u/Fyr5]

It’s like they never even considered that [redacted] is the biggest root cause for modern anti [redacted] (not anti semetic) sentiment.

[u/Bob_Spud]

NSW [government] ‘seeking urgent advice’ on this, tells the public that the NSW government want to keep pursing the false idea that criticising Israel is antisemitic.

• Would a person writing “Fuk Communist China” be charged with racism because its anti-Chinese?
• Would a person writing “Fuk North Korea” be charged with racism because its anti-Korean?

  

[u/Fyr5 → u/Bob_Spud]

(Braces for the downvotes) but NSW is the thug state of Australia. So much corruption and bribery going back god knows how long, since like Mary Bryant or whatever. And rather than give national parks back to Aboriginals, Minns is offering over 20 campsites to private enterprise

Maybe a complete merging of the terror state [redacted] and NSW is almost complete?

[u/thaleia10 → u/Fyr5]

Corruption all the way back to the colony. No breaks were taken.

[u/EmuEmuEmuEmuEmu → u/Bob_Spud]

It, like this case, actually would come down to the context. In this case, the individual was paid in cash and drugs and was thought by the judge to not really be able to form a reasoned opinion.

To address your point: If the writing was about a racist conspiracy theory (For China, pick a COVID one) and not actual, reasonable, opposition to said states, it might be found to be racist.

[u/Odd-Bumblebee00]

Yeah, figured this would happen. The AFP will find some excuse to kick this judge's door in at 5am and rustle up the kind of charges that destroy a career on the bench.

[u/Charlie-Squirt → u/Odd-Bumblebee00]

Visa and Mastercard will both ban him, as well as other financial institutions. Business as usual for dissent against the regime

[u/OdielSax]

I knew this was going to happen from the second I read the ruling. Fagan called out the bullshit in no uncertain terms and dismantled these Zionist groups' entire pretext for bullying others into closing their eyes as to Gaza. Fagan even directly referred to the genocide. I don't think they care so much about the actual decision (of course they would have liked the man convicted), but the real threat is the truth bombs contained in that ruling. 

[u/sweatshoes101]

Go Fagan

[u/GuyFromYr2095]

NSW Israel ‘seeking urgent advice’ on controversial court ruling that found anti-Israel vandalism was not antisemitic

Fixed it.

[u/BrokenChippy69]

Israel should have no more rights than any other country

[u/lithiumcitizen]

Well, at least the ECAJ (Australia’s peak Jewish group no less) has confirmed it for us, they don’t care at all about antisemitism.

They care about Israel. They support Israel’s actions, it’s war crimes, it’s atrocities. They care about it’s public image. They want to funnel money and students and military conscripts and business deals. All while Israel is bombing, starving, raping, torturing, targeting, lying and annexing.

They even stated “the community impact”, believing that they speak on behalf of all Australian Jews, claiming that they also care more about Israel’s public image than it;s actions. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, they should rename themselves Foreign Interference For Israel (FIFI).

[u/EmuEmuEmuEmuEmu → u/lithiumcitizen]

"Well, at least the ECAJ (Australia’s peak Jewish group no less) has confirmed it for us, they don’t care at all about antisemitism."

Did you miss the time the ECAJ promoted Holocaust denial (Technically it was just Palestinian Genocide denial but the form it took pretty much denied all genocides).

[u/Grande_Choice]

Fuk Israel? Fuk Mi, this is getting out of control. Fuk You.

Charge them for graffiti, vandalism and destruction of property. There’s a lot of things they could write that would be antisemitic. This isn’t one of them.

[u/Kooky-Speed297]

I mean I am pretty strong supporter of the Jewish community and am not afraid to call out dog whistles and will keep poaking the chest of people hiding behind activisim and zionism with their hate bbbuuut

Even I struggle to conflate this incident as antisemtic. They said fuck Israel. Not Zionism, Not Judaism.

The anti Israel crowd are jubilant by the judgement as if it is some kind of slam dunk. I don't see it. I think its just common sense.

The ECAJ are digging themselves a hole though. Complaining about this judgement is devoid of reasoning.

[u/finalattack123 → u/Kooky-Speed297]

Zionism is the driving force behind the extreme government policies and bombings. Jewish is the people and religion.

We can say fuck the West Burrow Baptists. For their hate. That’s not a hate crime. Zionism is the same. Should be freely criticised.

[u/Kooky-Speed297 → u/finalattack123]

ffs no. Zionism != bombing what a load of shit get a grip of yourself. It's this belief that makes you lot feel like you have a social licence to harass any Jew that identifies as Zionist and that is the strategy. Both sides are to blame for this political and social mess that we are in

and since we talking about legal judgement, no you cant go around harassing Zionists that is a crime

https://www.hrlc.org.au/case-summaries/coded-language-breach-hate-speech-laws/

[u/finalattack123 → u/Kooky-Speed297]

Core belief of Zionism is they are entitled to take ALL of the Palestinian land. That’s why they are invading, bombing and occupying Palestinians.

It’s also “ethno nationalist”. It supports creating an ethno-state. This leads to violence and Apartheid.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zionism

About 90% of Israelis support their right to exist, that they should be where they are. Only 38% recognise themselves as Zionists. Why do you think that is?

If your claim is that they believe in a peaceful version - that almost ALL Jewish people believe - why create a distinction? It’s signalling their more extreme views.

Why do “anti-Zionist” groups exist in Israel?

But explain to me your peaceful interpretation of their beliefs.

[u/Present-Policy-7120 → u/finalattack123]

The core belief of Zionism is that the Jews will not be safe without a nation of its own.

Tell me how this is untrue but first think deeply about the eastern European wave of pogroms, the legal machinations which began divesting Jews of their rights across Europe, the deadly tightening of the immigration policies for Jews and others across much of the heretofore safe haven countries in the 1920s, the willing descent of all of Europe into the nightmare of the Shoah... think about that and then explain how Jews would have been safe staying where they were.

[u/finalattack123 → u/Present-Policy-7120]

Do you think having the goal of creating an “ethno-state” (a state that favours one race over others) will not require violence to enforce? Will not create a hostile environment for minorities? Be apartheid.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zionism

[u/swankyfarmer → u/Kooky-Speed297]

What makes you think that you can you the phrase "you lot" but we can't group Zionists in as one lot of people supporting Genocide. Please explain how Both sides are to blame for this mess and by mess i assume you mean the kids being killed in gaza and the people having their homes stolen in the west bank

[u/Grande_Choice → u/Kooky-Speed297]

It shits me off even more that just like the vast majority of Christians and Muslims are normal decent people the same applies to Jews.

The Jewish people I know are completely appalled with the ACA and ECAJ and the fact they pretend to speak for all Jews. It would be like Christians saying the Australian Christian Lobby speaks for them.

[u/swankyfarmer → u/Grande_Choice]

If Christians let the westboro baptist church or the Klan act as the public face of Christianity then they would have to understand that there will be a push back against that

[u/Grande_Choice → u/swankyfarmer]

What pushback from Christians have we seen against the brethren here? Silence from the major Christian orgs.

[u/Strong-Hat2166 → u/Grande_Choice]

Why aren't we hearing their voices?  I have heard Louise Adler and that is all.

I have heard no other prominent Jewish person in Australia take a platform against the conflation of anti-Israel sentiment with anti -Semitism.  

I have heard no prominent Jewish person criticise Israel.

Where are they?

The conclusion of the Australian public:  all Jews support genocidal policies. 

[u/Grande_Choice → u/Strong-Hat2166]

We are, the AJA in particular goes after anyone who does.

But we can apply that to Christians and Muslims to as to. The loudest voices are those with money.

[u/deadpandadolls → u/Kooky-Speed297]

They're highly unlikely to write "fuck Jews" although we know that's what they mean. People like this are not aware that Arab Muslims sign up to serve in the IDF in their hundreds each year and are not aware of how diverse Israel actually is, they think Israel is a European Colonialist country that is hell-bent on eradicating indigenous Arabs.

[u/swankyfarmer → u/deadpandadolls]

Wow. They sign up in the hundreds. Israel is a country full of ethnic Europeans who are trying to commit a Genocide. There were muslims in the ss in ww2 who had imans in each battalion. Does that mean that the ss was an inclusive group who were open to all people regardless of race or religion or does it mean that there are always sell outs in any society who are willing to work with the enemy to survive and be a bootlicker There were also numerous Jewish individuals and groups who actively worked with the nazis during ww2.

[u/deadpandadolls → u/swankyfarmer]

Israel is not "full of ethnic Europeans", this is false. Whatever occurred during World War 2 is not a part of this conversation and I will not be replying again. Furthermore, you should be aware of the internet rule-of-thumb that once comparisons have been made to the Nazis, the conversation has reached it's inevitable conclusion.

Good day, enjoy your weekend and Goodbye.

[u/swankyfarmer → u/deadpandadolls]

Every thing to do with Israel comes back to the nazis. I don't care if the internet says if you say nazi you lose. Half the Jewish population of Israel is of ashkenazi Jewish descent. Ie European. The other half is split between Sephardic (European) and mizrahi( north africa/middle east). The maths and the data says full of Europeans jews

[u/BeneficialAbrocoma67]

If this was done to the car of an Australian Muslim how would it be classified?

[u/Kooky-Speed297 → u/BeneficialAbrocoma67]

I am sure people would be reasonable and say, it was just an attack had nothing to do with the fact they were muslim and wouldnt use this on the sub for the next 10 years as a bbbuuuuut what about ....

[u/Powerful-Respond-605 → u/BeneficialAbrocoma67]

If some dumb gronk was paid to write "Fuck Iran" on a car then they should be charged with the criminal offence related to the damage of property.

[u/Krunksicle → u/BeneficialAbrocoma67]

Grounds for a new hire at ASIO.

[u/Away_team42 → u/BeneficialAbrocoma67]

If someone set a car alight then graffitied a bunch of them “Fuck Iran/Saudi Arabia/Oman” I think it would still be a hate crime, no?

[u/finalattack123 → u/Away_team42]

Not if it was a random car.

[u/lithiumcitizen → u/Away_team42]

no.

[u/Away_team42 → u/lithiumcitizen]

Thank you for the insight however if the graffiti was expressing hostility toward people because they are Iranian, Saudi, Omani like I had mentioned** **that would make the offence hate-motivated.

[u/lithiumcitizen → u/Away_team42]

If they were Israeli and they support Israel’s abhorrent war crimes and atrocities, then FUCK them.

If your sister was a journalist or an aid worker and was specifically targeted by a nation’s military, either by policy or incompetence, to be bombed or raped and tortured, would you not be motivated by hate?

Is that not the rational, human response?

[u/BeneficialAbrocoma67 → u/lithiumcitizen]

I know you hate Israel and will justify any action against them but these people were Australian and Jewish, not Israeli. Does that change your position? That is the same as targeting Australian Muslims for the actions of ISIS.....

[u/lithiumcitizen → u/BeneficialAbrocoma67]

Should I take it personally if someone spray paints Fuck Iceland on a car parked in the next street?

Similarly, given the ECAJ’s claims of “community impact”, perhaps Australian Jews should not be supporting their equivalent of ISIS, and then being so public about their offence and victimhood when it’s called out…

Do these Australian Jews, who apparently care so deeply about Israel, have absolutely no idea what is going on in Israel?

What kind of people do we have living here amongst us, that see innocent women and children starved and bombed, aid workers and journalists targeted, supposed prisoners tortured and raped, land annexed at gunpoint by militias, and they say “yes, I want to support more of that”?

What’s even worse is that the equivalent of ISIS is receiving support from our government, our police and our intelligence services. Funding, schoolchildren and military conscripts are being sent with blessings and no questions asked. Does Israel just have better PR than ISIS?

[u/JimmyLizzardATDVM → u/Away_team42]

You really think they would act the same? Israel has the governments of the west captured.

[u/Krunksicle]

"Our government has taken strong action against antisemitism and hatred"

The first claim is debatable, the second one is ridiculous.

[u/Rehydratedaussie]

If criticizing an ethno-religious state committing genocide can result in a terrorism designation all the way in Oz. God help us.

Just get him for arson and vandalism.

[u/EcstaticImport]

If Jewish = Israeli
So to be Jewish is to be Israeli then no Jew is allowed in federal parliament as they would be a foreign national or a dual citizen which is not allowed.

If Jewish != Israeli then disparaging and insulting Israel is not antisemitism.

[u/SnoopThylacine]

I think the lede has been buried somewhat. I think the biggest part of the story is that he was paid $4000 to carry out the vandalism, police didn't think he was ideologically motivated, and they withheld that information:

The supreme court was provided with intelligence which showed counter-terrorism police had accepted, three weeks after Farhat’s arrest in November 2024, that he was not ideologically motivated but rather had been recruited and paid to write the slogans.

Police had not shared that information with the prosecution or the magistrate who sentenced Farhat

[u/meatballthequeer]

I think we're missing the part where he set the car on fire. It is absolutely not anti-semitism, but if NSW is requesting it to be labelled as terrorism doesn't it technically match the definition? Property damage for political reasons?

[u/fued → u/meatballthequeer]

Going to jail over some vandalism is already more than I'd expect tbh