Sydney: The Israeli war on Gaza is inciting a surge of Islamophobic hate amid growing support for Palestine.

According to Anadolu Agency, Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman stated that the conflict in Gaza has led to an alarming increase in antisemitism, anti-Arab racism, anti-Palestinian racism, and Islamophobic hate. Speaking at the National Press Club, Sivaraman emphasized the need for government action with "genuine commitment and political will" to combat racial discrimination in Australia, which is home to more than 800,000 Muslims.

His comments followed a Federal Court ruling last month that confirmed political criticism of Israel, regardless of its intensity, does not inherently target Jews as a group. Sivaraman criticized "some government approaches" that have pitted communities against each other, stressing that solutions should be inclusive to avoid creating distrust between communities and the government.

Despite the rise in Islamophobic incidents, there is growing pressure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labor government to formally recognize an independent state of Palestine. A recent survey by DemosAU shows that 45% of Australians now support this recognition, up from 35% in May of the previous year.

Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza has led to international outrage, with more than 61,000 people killed since October 2023. The conflict has devastated the territory, pushing it to the brink of famine. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Additionally, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.