The grief experienced by Middle Eastern Australians remains profound, two years after the October 7, 2023, attacks that escalated conflict in the region. Israeli and Palestinian communities in Australia continue to grapple with the consequences of the ongoing violence, including the capture of hostages and the relentless bombardment of Gaza.
Ramia Abdo Sultan, a lawyer based in Sydney, articulates the sense of duality she feels as she witnesses the devastation from afar. “I wake up knowing my family here has the comfort of peace and access to food and necessities,” she explains. “But my own people are being literally slaughtered and starved and erased, not only in Gaza but even in the West Bank.” Memories flood back for Ms. Sultan, recalling her childhood visits to Gaza, where she played freely in the streets now reduced to rubble.
The destruction has displaced hundreds of thousands, and Ms. Sultan describes the ongoing demolitions and illegal settlement expansions as “beyond our imagination.” Each morning, she checks her phone for news of her relatives, a task made increasingly difficult by ongoing telecommunications blackouts in the region. “That’s when you hold your heart in terms of what to expect,” she says.
The emotional toll extends to the Israeli diaspora in Australia. Liron Solomon, who was born in Israel, recounts the impact of the 2023 Hamas attack that resulted in over 1,200 deaths and the abduction of 250 individuals. “When something happens, everyone feels it in their bones,” she states. Like Ms. Sultan, Ms. Solomon has remained glued to the internet for updates, reflecting on the toll this has taken on her mental health. She describes her friends and family in Tel Aviv as being in “survival mode,” holding onto hope for the return of the remaining hostages.
In Sydney, Ms. Solomon and a group of volunteers gather weekly to honor the hostages by reading their names aloud. “We give a little story about each one,” she explains. “Just bring them back, it’s been way too long.” The sense of loss has been compounded by further violence; on March 29, 2024, an attack on a synagogue in Manchester resulted in two fatalities, coinciding with Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
In response to the ongoing violence, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated, “There is no place for terrorism in our streets, and all Australians stand with the UK at this dreadful time.” The Israeli military offensive since October 2023 has resulted in the deaths of over 66,000 Palestinians, predominantly civilians, according to Gaza’s local health ministry. Ms. Sultan has lost hundreds of acquaintances and views Israel’s military response as disproportionate. “Why is that okay? To sit back and watch entire families wiped out and children pulled from under the rubble and mothers screaming for their babies,” she questions.
The United Nations Commission of Inquiry has reported allegations of genocide in Gaza, claims that Israel has consistently rejected. In September 2023, Australia formally recognized Palestine as a sovereign state during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, joining over 150 countries in this acknowledgment. “This is the world saying that the cycle of violence has to stop,” remarked Prime Minister Albanese during the assembly.
Both Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong reiterated the Palestinian Authority’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist while asserting that Hamas must be excluded from Palestine’s future. They also called for the release of the remaining hostages. Ms. Sultan views the recognition as “too little too late,” yet expresses hope for any measure that could save even a single life.
Reports from the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) and various social justice organizations have highlighted rising instances of racial vilification and feelings of insecurity within Australian communities over the past two years. Ms. Solomon has personally faced hostility while publicly commemorating the hostages, and Ms. Sultan has experienced online hate, which she has reported to the police. “You are not only not allowed to grieve … you’re not even allowed to speak to your experience without having consequences,” she laments.
Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Technology Sydney, Andrew Jakubowicz, notes the escalating normalization of racism as a troubling trend. He believes rebuilding trust among communities and with the government is essential and should be approached as a serious social project. “Whether it’s possible depends on what is gone,” he reflects. “Given that human beings have created the mess that we have, I don’t think it’s impossible for human beings to somehow get out of that mess.”
The experiences of both Ms. Sultan and Ms. Solomon underscore the deep emotional scars left by ongoing violence and the challenges faced by communities striving for peace and justice. As the conflict continues, the need for dialogue and understanding remains more pressing than ever.
