Mike Hutchinson Says Israel's Supporters Foment Antisemitism to Win Protection
Mike Hutchinson, who posts on X as @michaeljames947, has spent months arguing that Israel's supporters stir up antisemitism so they can ask for protection from it. His posts offer no evidence of that motive.
The sharpest version came on May 12, 2026, in a reply about Australia's pro Israel community. Hutchinson wrote that its “cheer squad” was conflating Judaism with Israeli actions “to foment antisemitism in order that it can seek further special ‘protection’ against what they have wrought.”
Hutchinson also calls Israel's actions in Gaza genocide, an accusation Israel rejects. The claim about motive is a separate and bigger step: it says Jewish groups want hatred of Jews to grow.
The same claim, again and again
On August 5 he replied to another user that Israel's conduct and its Zionist lobbyists, by merging Israel with Jews worldwide, explained why antisemitism was rising, and added: “Almost as if that is what the zionists want...” Four days later he wrote that Israel and its lobbyists “conflate Israel and its actions with Judaism and thereby encourage antisemitism.”
None of the posts names a person, a campaign or a document showing that anyone wants Jews to face hatred. Israel News Pulse found no such evidence in the material it reviewed.
The attack on the envoy
On May 7 he turned on Jillian Segal, Australia's special envoy to combat antisemitism, who testified before the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. The commission is examining the December 14, 2025 Hanukkah attack in Sydney, in which two gunmen killed 15 people. JTA reported that Segal told the commission hatred toward Jews was becoming almost fashionable.
Hutchinson wrote: “How dare Segal blame, to the Royal Commission, antisemitism on a community conflation of Israel with Judaism, when it is Israel and its myriad of zionists, agents and lobbyists who have pursued that conflation with vigour.” His anger was aimed at the envoy who testified, not at the gunmen.
What he says about Jews and Hamas
Hutchinson does not present himself as hostile to Jews. On July 4 he wrote that Israel's conduct “invites the blame being allocated to jews at large rather than only to Israel.” On October 16 he replied: “I do not apply any standard to ‘jews’. Israel. And I have condemned Oct 7.” In a June 2025 post he urged Australia to condemn Hamas's October 7 assault alongside Israel's response.
The line between criticism of Israel and hatred of Jews is real. Both the IHRA working definition and the rival Jerusalem Declaration say that holding Jews collectively responsible for Israel's actions is antisemitic. And people who face hatred for being Jewish do not need Israel's policies to be right in order to deserve protection from it.
Who is behind the account
The account displays the name Mike Hutchinson and describes its owner as “ex-govt official. Co director.” Its location field reads Ngunnawal country, the Canberra area, and it has 1,387 followers. Israel News Pulse could not independently find information confirming his past roles or linking the account to any named company or office. He has also replied to Israel News Pulse on X. All dates above are in UTC.
