Greek-Australian Archbishop Makarios Joins Christian Leaders in Condemning Anti-Semitism and Advocating for Clear Moral Leadership

In the wake of rising anti-Semitic sentiment in Australia, Christian leaders, including the Greek-Australian Archbishop Makarios of Australia, have stepped forward with a forceful and logical response.

They have condemned the recent wave of hatred targeting Jewish individuals and their property, particularly in light of the 2023 Hamas terror attacks and the subsequent Gaza conflict. Their statements starkly contrast the hesitancy shown by the federal government, which has been criticized for failing to address the growing threat to Australian communities.

His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia has condemned the surge in anti-Semitic incidents across Australia, urging an end to the “normalisation of hatred.”

His statement in The Australian, combined with that of Sydney-based Catholic and Anglican archbishops, follows a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

In a joint call to reject the use of Israel’s military actions as a justification for attacking Jewish Australians, Archbishops Anthony Fisher, Kanishka Raffel, and His Eminence (Most Rev.) Makarios Griniezakis, Archbishop and Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Australia, expressed concern over the increasing anti-Semitic violence.

“Some have sought to justify anti-Semitic behaviour by referencing the actions of the state of Israel in its war against Hamas, but such a moral calculus is seriously misguided,” the archbishops said.

“There is no logic to attacking Jewish people in Australia as a means of ‘resisting’ the actions of another nation’s military.”

As Australia grapples with these challenges, Archbishop Makarios and other Christian leaders have called on the federal government to provide clear moral leadership. The rise of anti-Semitism, they argue, is not just a threat to the Jewish community but to all Australians, as it undermines the values of tolerance, freedom, and coexistence that define the nation.