Antisemitism Worldwide: Bondi Beach shooting tragedy

When the prime minister of Australia (Anthony Albanese) came out in favor of creating a Palestinian state, a local rabbi (Eli Schlanger) protested and asked that Australia rescind that decision.

He also opposed the prime minister’s subsequent act of throwing the doors open to accept Palestinian immigrants. The prime minister ignored his protests even though there had been so much recent racial unrest that the government had put a person in charge of preventing antisemitism and Islamophobia.

The move had not worked, as evidenced by a Muslim setting the door to a synagogue on fire while people worshipped within.

Last week, the rabbi who had protested Australian support of a Palestinian state organized an event celebrating the first day of Hanukkah. Over a thousand men, women, and children attended the event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach (which is located in Sydney’s eastern suburbs). The area is the center of the Jewish community.

Unfortunately, two men in black also showed up and began shooting the celebrants. The local police in attendance did not carry guns, so they were useless when it came to protecting the crowd. A shop owner proved to be a hero by tackling one of the gunmen and wrestling his weapon away from him. Armed police then arrived and shot the suspects. One died on the spot. The other was severely injured and taken to the hospital along with the 29 wounded celebrants. The initial count indicated that 1 worshipers died.

Unfortunately, Schlanger was among the dead. He had warned the prime minister of the danger of proclaiming a Palestinian state and of receiving Palestinians into the country. He died at the hands of two Islamic immigrants. It is suspected there may have also been a third perpetrator. At least one early report on Tousi News and a later report from a different source indicate that Australian authorities are investigating the possibility that the attack was part of a larger Iranian international plot.

The vehicle rented by the dead terrorist was found next to the parade route. It was reportedly packed with explosives. If the gunmen had survived their initial attack, they evidently planned to blow up at least part of the gathering.

It should be noted that the Australian prime minister who promoted the Palestinian cause with his actions has now come out condemning the attack. He probably doesn’t see any connection between his enabling of the Palestinians and the violence.

Benjamin Netanyahu, however, (the Prime Minister of Israel) has been quick to spread blame for the attack on Schlanger’s pro-Palestinian statements and actions. He notes that the Palestinians teach their children that Jews aren’t even human. When someone dehumanizes an entire race, they shouldn’t be supported in any way.

It remains to be seen if this terror attack affects Australia’s immigration policy. It could well be argued that neither of the gunmen was a Palestinian and that the dead Afghan had resided in Australia for a number of years.

Furthermore, an Islamic group in the country stated they opposed the violence. It goes without saying, however, that an influx of Palestinians into Australia will most certainly result in an increase in antisemitism as well as in violence. Eli Schlanger proved that point with his very life. Australia owes its very existence to its willingness to receive and seek to rehabilitate the dregs of the world. The Palestinians, however, (some) don’t seem to want to be rehabilitated.