Photo: Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins and Bilal Rauf, special adviser at the Australian National Imams Council, hug at a vigil in Hyde Park
The Arabic speaking and the Islamic communities of Australia have unequivocally condemned the massacre of civilians at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
They have neither minced words nor politicised or exploited grief or the tragedy and the blood of innocent civilians for political leverage. They have described the killings for what they were – an abhorrent act of terror.
Their anger, their shock and their outpouring of grief was real. Theirs was a genuine rejection of all forms of violence and opposition to all forms of hate.
As newly arrived immigrants to Australia, they valued Australia and what Australia stood for. They valued the principles of equality and of a fair go for all.
They valued peace, freedom and democracy. They valued the liberties and the rights embedded in our Australian culture and enshrined in our Australian constitution.
Arab – Muslim and Christian Australian communities – know of the horrors of war and of the senselessness of violence. They are alive to the ever-present threat in ideologies of hate.
Many have had firsthand experiences of terror perpetrated upon them by organisations like ISIS, Jabhat Al Nusra and the many shades of terror-inspired groups.
The heartfelt condemnation by Arab and Islamic Australian communities of the attack on innocent civilians in Bondi has filled much of the social media platforms. However, they did not play politics with the victims of terror. They were direct, transparent and genuine.
An attitude the mainstream Australian community rarely sees – given the dominant anti-Palestinian/ anti-Muslim/ anti-Arab narrative in pro-Zionist / pro-Israel mainstream Australian media.
The mainstream English-speaking community therefore deserves to know that culturally diverse Australians are a peace-loving people who oppose all forms of terror, all forms of violence and all forms of hate.
Sadly, much of our media and some of our political leadership are in lockstep with the likes of Netanyahu and the extremist Zionist propaganda machine that – without hesitation – weaponize grief and use the miseries of civilians to serve their own political and foreign agenda.
And so much so that some of our media outlets have no qualms in alleging, without investigation or evidence, that Tehran, for instance, is the prime suspect behind the beach terror attack. They are content to simply print, rehash and regurgitate without question the talking points of the Israeli propaganda machine.
This is why they and certain leaders don’t even hesitate in making the outrageous claim that the anti-genocide Sydney protests promote hate and violence against Australian Jews. This is why they have no qualms in asserting that Prime Minister Albanese’s recognition of Palestine has contributed to hate of Jews in Australia.
This push to propagate the Israeli narrative is clearly part of a broader campaign now taking place across the pro-Zionist western media – to amplifying anti-Palestinian specific Bondi Beach shooting talking points. Here are some examples:
“Bondi Beach Is What ‘Globalize the Intifada’ Looks Like”
~ Bret Stephens, New York Times.
“The Intifada Comes to Australia”
~ Walter Russell Mead, Wall Street Journal.
“Shooting at Bondi Beach is what a globalized intifada looks like”
~ Herb Keinon, Jerusalem Post
“Palestinian propaganda has globalized the intifada”
~ Zachary Faria, Washington Examiner
“Bondi Beach massacre is what globalizing the intifada looks like”
~ Vivian Bercovici, National Post
“Chanting ‘globalise the intifada’ leads to Bondi Beach”
~ Danny Cohen, The Telegraph
Sadly, this campaign has already born fruit for Netanyahu and the Australin Israel lobby as the state Labor government has announced that the pro-Palestine chant “globalise the Intifada” (which strangely enough, I’ve never heard at the many Sydney protests I have attended) is now considered hate speech.
For now, compare the above propaganda with the heartfelt statements of peace and harmony posted on social media by Arab and Islamic community organisations.
For instance: The Arab Council Australia expresses shock and profound sorrow following the mass shooting at the Jewish community gathering celebrating Chanukah at Bondi.
The statement said: “We extend our deepest condolences and solidarity to the victims, their families and loved ones, to those who were injured and are fighting for their lives, and to all who witnessed this traumatic event. We also extend our condolences to the wider Australian community, as this tragedy has affected us all.”
Similarly, The Australian Federation of Islamic Council (AFIC) also expressed its “deep sorrow and heartfelt support for all those affected by the tragic shooting incident at Bondi Beach. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, friends, and all members of the community who have been shaken by this senseless act of violence.”
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) was equally forthright in its statement noting that ANIC “unequivocally condemns ISIS as an evil, dangerous terrorist organisation whose actions and ideology stand in complete opposition to the teachings of Islam and the values upheld by Muslims worldwide.”
In its press release, the Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA) unequivocally condemned the horrific acts of violence and “… Like all Australians, we are grieving, shocked and seeking answers.”
The Supreme Islamic Shiite Council of Australia also condemned the act of terror noting that “There is no justification – religious, moral, or otherwise – for terrorism or violence against innocent people. Such acts are a betrayal of humanity and stand in complete opposition to the values of Islam, which upholds the sanctity of life, peace, and compassion.”
The Maronite Eparchy of Australia New Zealand and Oceania expressed shock and sadness by the news of the shootings: “We pray for all those that have been killed or injured and our thoughts are with their families and the community…”
In its statement Arrahman Association – Kingsgrove, emphasised the “need to respect public order in Australia and to spread a message of love, peace, and tolerance, and to reject messages of racism and hatred…”
His Grace Bishop Rewis of the Coptic Church Melbourne expressed his community’s deep sorrow noting that “such acts of terror are an affront to people of all faiths, an assault on human dignity and a wound to the soul of our nation.”
Finally, as one of many Pakistani community statements noted: “This is a moment for all Australians, including the Pakistan community, to stand together in unity, compassion, and solidarity, rejecting violence in all its forms and affirming our shared commitment to social harmony…”
The politicisation and exploitation of the blood of innocent civilians massacred at Bondi Beach to drive Zionist propaganda and to propagate an anti-protest agenda must be unequivocally condemned and rejected.
Any attempt to stomp out criticism of Israel’s genocidal atrocities must also be rejected.
Together we must stand united against genocide and all forms of violence and hate and be vigilant against a divisive right wing political agenda.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by this horrific act of terror.
Gaslighting galore.