Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine)
A: The event
“A mass shooting on December 14 killed 15 people during a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi Beach, Australia. The suspects were a father and son, aged 50 and 24. Australian authorities have said. The older man, whom state officials named as Sajid Akram, was shot dead. His son was wounded and being treated at a hospital.
Indian police said the older suspect was originally from the southern city of Hyderabad and held an Indian passport. They reported that he married a woman of European origin and migrated to Australia in 1998 in search of employment, maintaining limited contact with his family in India.]I]
Before the shooting, the two visited the Philippines. The police found Islamic State (Isil) flags in their car. Chabad, a Jewish missionary movement, organized the Hanukkah event.
At first, I thought that we could ignore this event; however, when I realized how much the Zionists and the Western imperialists are trying to use this event to attack the pro-Palestinian protest against the genocide by Israel, it became clear to me that I have to expose the nature of this event.
B: What is Hanukkah
Hanukkah’s origin dates to the 2nd-century BCE Maccabean Revolt, when Jewish rebels (the Maccabees) fought the Greek-Syrian empire. According to the Jewish narrative, a central miracle story, appearing in the Babylonian Talmud centuries later, recounts how a small jar of oil for the Temple menorah burned for eight days, inspiring the eight-day “Festival of Lights” (Hanukkah means “dedication”).
This obviously is a make-up story. The Temple menorah is a seven-branched candelabrum that is described in the Hebrew Bible and later ancient sources as having been used in the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem. Since the Jewish Lamp had only a seven-branched candelabrum, the Maccabean did not need oil for eight days.
In addition, the alleged event is not mentioned in the Jewish Bible or in the Book of Maccabees, but only in the Talmud hundreds of years later. The first notable mention of Hanukkah appears in the sixth century CE in the Gemara with this question: What is Hanukkah?[ii]
Historians debate the causes and outcomes of the war, in which, according to the Jewish narrative, Judah Maccabee and his followers defeated the Syrian armies of Antiochus. However, Rome annexed the Greek colony of Judea that became a Roman colony. There is no doubt that Hanukkah has been used to depict Jewish valor in the face of overwhelming odds. Another element is the need for Jews to fight for a Jewish state in Palestine.
“Although the practice of lighting the menorah (also called a hanukkiyah) was common throughout much of the 19th century, North American Jews tended to neglect most of the other traditions and practices associated with the holiday. By the 1920s, however, Jews increasingly incorporated gift-giving into their Hanukkah celebrations, prompting some to refer to Hanukkah as the “Jewish Christmas.”[iii]
C: What is Habad?
Habad is a Messianic movement that believes that all Jews should move to Palestine, and there the third Jewish temple will be built instead of Al Aqsa. According to them, the central stage in the transition from exile to redemption is the building of the Third Temple. This is one of the main signs that determines the status of the Messiah as the “Messiah for sure,” and once the Temple is rebuilt, we will know for sure that we have indeed entered the period of redemption. However, regarding how it will be built, there are divided opinions.
“In the Book of Zohar,2, the third stanza is referred to as “the building of God” – a building that will be built by God. Rashi3 says: “The Temple of the future that we are envisioning, built and perfected, will be revealed and will come from heaven, as it is written, ‘The Temple of the Lord, your hands shall be established.'” On the other hand, there is an opinion among Jews that man will build the Third Temple, and the Rambam ruled that the Messiah is the one who built the Temple.
The Rambam’s reason is simple: the building of the Temple is a positive mitzvah (as he himself emphasizes at the beginning of the laws of the Beit Bechira), and therefore the Jews must build the Temple themselves and fulfill the mitzvah. If God brings down the Temple from heaven, this great mitzvah will be taken away from the people of Israel. The Zohar, by contrast, holds that the uniqueness of the Third Temple, compared with the two Temples that preceded it, lies in its being man-made and therefore destined to be destroyed. In contrast, the Third Temple will be “the sons of God” and will consequently stand forever.”
Chabad tends to accept that the Messiah will build part of the Third Temple after all the Jews move to Palestine.
As Chabad declares that the teaching of Rambam and the Zohar can be combined. “This is explained by the fact that there is no contradiction here: in the Third Temple, there will be things that will be built by man, and there will be things that will come down from heaven. In this way, the two opinions are combined: since this is a positive commandment, the people of Israel will have to build even a part of the Temple themselves, while the upper things that will ensure its eternity will indeed come from heaven”. Thus, Chabad is definitely a Zionist movement.
D: The Zionist nature of the crowd in Bondi
Michelle Berkon, a Jewish activist and former teacher, was escorted away by police from a memorial vigil for the victims of a mass shooting at Bondi Beach. She was wearing a keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity, which led to a hostile reaction from the Zionist crowd. The incident occurred at a public gathering mourning the people killed by ISIL’s two supporters.
She is a member of the group Jews Against the Occupation, and she attended the vigil to mourn community members. She claimed she would not have worn the keffiyeh if Israeli flags had not been prominently displayed, arguing that the presence of the flags politicized a space meant for grief. Berkon was surrounded by hundreds of mourners who chanted “Get her out” and “You’re not welcome here.”
Police intervened and escorted her from the area, reportedly for her protection, amid an angry crowd. Berkon reported that police threatened her with arrest for speaking to the press after being removed.
The fact that a Syrian Muslim father of 2 who came to Australia in 2006 has risked his life to save Jews and was injured did not change the Islamophobia of the Zionist crowd. Nor the fact that the family of Ahmed al-Ahmed has spoken out, hailing their son as a hero.
Mohamed Fateh al-Ahmed stated that his son is an Australian citizen and sells fruit and vegetables. He said Ahmed was having coffee with a friend in the area when shots rang out.
“My son is a hero. He served in the police; he has the passion to defend people,” Mohamed Fateh told ABC News on Monday. It is not clear which police force al-Ahmed served in and in what capacity .”When he saw people lying on the ground and the blood, quickly his conscience pushed him to attack one of the terrorists and take away his weapon.”
E: Chabad justifies the genocide of the Palestinians.
Chabad says:
“At times like this, each one of us becomes an ambassador for Israel. Even if you don’t agree with everything Israel does, any decent person must stand up for Israel’s right to self-defense.
We can leave the military and political issues to the experts, but we should all be clear on the moral questions raised by this war. Let’s look at a few of the most commonly asked questions.
Q: How can Israel justify killing civilians if they intend to crush Hamas?
A: The death of innocents is a tragic inevitability of war. Our hearts go out to all those caught in the middle. The sad fact is that the Palestinian people are being held hostage by Hamas. Just as it is clear that Hamas is morally culpable for any harm done to Gilad Shalit, the Israeli hostage that they have, so too are they culpable for the fate of Palestinian innocents, amongst whom they hide. A civilian who is killed while being used by a terrorist as a human shield is a victim of the terrorist, not the Israeli army, which does not target innocent civilians.
Q: Isn’t Israel’s response a bit disproportionate?
A: If Israel’s purpose were to take revenge, then perhaps the question of “proportion” would apply here. But Israel is waging a defensive war. In war, you don’t measure your response to the enemy by what they have done to you in the past, but rather by what needs to be done to stop them from attacking you. Israel must destroy Hamas’s capability to continue shooting rockets at Israeli cities. Israel’s actions are proportionate to the present and future threat, not just the damage done in the past.
Q: Doesn’t Israel understand that it is just creating more terrorists? The anger and fury at Israel as a result of bombing Gaza will only make more people want to join Hamas.
A: Feelings of frustration, anger, fear, and rage do not make you into a terrorist. A culture of death and an education of hate does. Israel doesn’t need to do anything to create terrorists – Islamic extremism does that – but Israel must act to destroy those who threaten its people.
Q: Hamas indeed has a militant wing, but it also does a lot of good. They are responsible for social programs, educational projects, and humanitarian work in Gaza. By destroying Hamas, Israel also kills all the good it does. Aren’t we demonizing a group that is not all bad?
A: If a serial killer also happens to volunteer for his local hospital, has donated money to an orphanage, and looks after his ailing grandmother, he is still a serial killer, and he and the threat he represents must be treated as such. The danger he poses far outweighs the concern for any good he may do.
Q: By using violence, how is Israel any better than its terrorist enemies?
A: That is as ridiculous as saying that a woman who fights off an attacker is no better than her attacker. Israel would not touch Hamas if Hamas stopped sending rockets and suicide bombers into Israel. Israel seeks to live in peace with its neighbors; Hamas and its allies seek to destroy Israel, no matter what Israel does.
There is a world of difference between the Hamas terrorists and the Israeli soldiers. The Hamas terrorist seeks violence as a way of life; he aims to sow war and death. For the Israeli soldier, war is a necessity and a moral duty because Israel’s citizens are being attacked, and innocent lives are being threatened. The Hamas terrorist seeks to maximize civilian casualties; the Israeli soldier does everything in his power to minimize them.
The Hamas terrorist fears times of peace, because then he has no purpose. The Israeli soldier dreams of a time when peace will reign. Then, the Israel Defense Force will be made joyously redundant, as “one nation will not lift a sword against another nation, and they will no longer learn to wage war”.[iv]
F: Israel and the oppression of Muslims in the Philippines
Israel assists the government of the Philippines in the fight against Muslims, primarily through the sale of weapons and military technology such as UAVs and defense systems. Still, the exact details and scope of modern aid are often hidden by security clearances in targeted assistance to strengthen the Philippines’ capabilities against groups such as Abu Seif and the BIFF.
The repression of the Muslims in the Philippines, often referred to as the Moro conflict, a centuries-old struggle, is rooted in resistance to foreign rule and post-colonial government policies that led to the marginalization and displacement of the indigenous Muslim population (known as the Moro people) in their ancestral homelands of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago. This repression has historical, political, and socio-economic dimensions, not solely religious discrimination.
American and later Philippine government land registration policies led to the loss of traditional land rights for many Muslims. The post-independence Philippine government facilitated the massive migration of Christian settlers from the northern provinces to Mindanao, resulting in the marginalization of Muslims, who soon became a minority in many areas they once dominated.
Muslim communities have historically received fewer government services and resources compared to Christian areas, leading to profound economic gaps and high rates of poverty. Atrocities committed by government forces and Christian militias (like the Ilaga) have fueled the conflict. Notable incidents include the 1968 Jabidah massacre of Muslim military recruits and the 1974 Malisbong massacre of civilians in a mosque.
Traditional Muslim leaders were often sidelined or co-opted, and the Christian-dominated central government usually undermined efforts to establish genuine autonomy. These grievances led to the formation of armed separatist groups like the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and later the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which engaged in decades-long armed conflict with the state, resulting in an estimated 120,000 to 150,000 deaths and massive displacement of Muslims.
H: Israel, a close ally of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
Israel is also a close ally of the very reactionary government of India. India is home to some two hundred million Muslims, one of the world’s largest Muslim populations, but a minority in the predominantly Hindu country. Since India’s independence, Muslims have often faced discrimination, prejudice, and violence, despite constitutional protections.
Experts say anti-Muslim sentiments have heightened under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has pursued a Hindu nationalist agenda since elected to power in 2014.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership since 2014, India and Israel have developed a close, multi-dimensional strategic partnership. Their leaders, Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have shared a notable personal bond often described as a “bromance”. This relationship is founded on shared strategic interests, strong defense and technology cooperation, and growing economic ties, marking a significant shift from India’s historically more neutral stance.
Strong Leadership Alignment: Both Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Israel’s Likud party are right-wing nationalist parties, and an ideological affinity has contributed significantly to the warming of relations.
The so-called Security and defense have consistently been cornerstones of the relationship. India is Israel’s largest arms customer, and Israel is India’s second-largest arms supplier. Cooperation includes intelligence sharing, the so-called counter-terrorism operations, and the joint development of advanced weapon systems like the Barak 8 missile system.
The two states collaborate heavily in agriculture, water management, and technology. Bilateral trade has steadily increased, with ongoing negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement.: Modi was the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel in 2017, breaking from the tradition of simultaneously visiting Palestine. Since then, India has often taken a pro-Israel stance in international forums, a notable departure from its historical support for the Palestinian cause.
I: ISIS
“By the end of 2023, ISIL, which emerged as a response to the British American cruel occupation of Iraq, was reported to be operating in a survival mode and was unable to launch larger, complex attacks. ISIL was maintaining a low-grade insurgency in rural areas, with most of its attacks occurring in Diyala, Kirkuk and Salah-al-din governorates. Asymmetric attacks carried out by ISIL were also recorded in Anbar, Baghdad, and Ninewa governorates. However, in 2024, sources observed a resurgence of ISIL in Iraq. ISIL attacks primarily targeted the ISF and, to a lesser extent, the PMF”[v]
The horrible treatment of Muslims in India, the Philippines, China, and Israel helps ISIL to recruit fighters.
J: Some positive response by Jews
In 972 Magazine, published by Israelis and Palestinians (and named after the country code for Israel, 972), Em Hilton wrote an article entitled “After the Bondi massacre, we don’t have the luxury to grieve silently.” The subtitle sums up its contents: “Before the blood had dried, the deadliest attack on Australian Jews was being used to justify repressing Palestine solidarity and retribution against Muslims.”Em Hilton, as explained at the bottom of the piece, “is a Jewish writer and activist based in London. She is the International Policy Director at Diaspora Alliance, a co-founder of Na’amod: British Jews Against Occupation, and sits on the steering committee for the Center for Jewish Non-Violence.”
Dave Zirin Wrote:” And now our world’s least principled actors are telling us, without any justification, why this happened and drawing actionable conclusions about it before anyone actually knows the motivations of the killers—namely, linking the violence to support of Palestine. The dead have one use to these people: They exist to justify Israel’s conquest of Gaza and the Palestinian blood that now will surely be shed. Facts be damned.
Sure enough, in the wake of Bondi Beach, Netanyahu set a land-speed record in finding a camera to stand in front of to blame the massacre on the Australian government’s recognizing a Palestinian state. The New York Times’ Bret Stephens published an article the next morning, while the rest of us were still in shock, titled “Bondi Beach Is What ‘Globalize the Intifada’ Looks Like.” David Frum did the same at The Atlantic with “The Intifada Comes to Bondi Beach.“
Don’t buy their bullshit. They are exploiting our dead. They are tying this tragedy to their own nationalist project for personal gain. They are relentless in their message that standing for Palestinian existence in the face of annihilation makes you party to this atrocity, which is an obscene lie.”[vi]
K: The attack on the Pro-Palestinians
Indeed, the Western imperialists, like Australia and Britain, are using the event in Bondi Beach to attack the pro-Palestinian protesters.
“Authorities in Britain and Australia are tightening restrictions on pro-Palestinians protests in response to the Islamic State-inspired Bondi Beach massacre targeting a Jewish gathering that killed 15 people.
In New South Wales, the Australian state where the deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration took place, police will be granted expanded powers to shut down unauthorized protests, while tougher hate speech laws will be introduced, including a proposed ban on the slogan “globalize the intifada.”
The move comes shortly after U.K. police arrested two people In London on racially aggravated public order charges for allegedly shouting slogans invoking “intifada” at a pro-Palestinian demonstration. The new restrictions are part of a nationwide policing shift in response to the attack, which has drawn concern from some civil liberties and free-speech advocates.
The Arabic word “intifada” is generally translated as “uprising” and is used to describe two major Palestinian uprisings in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip against Israeli occupation, the first beginning in 1987 and the second in 2000, both characterized by periods of violence as well as nonviolent mass protests.
In any case, the Palestinians under the Zionist occupation have the right to use arms against the Zionist oppressors.
Supporters say the term “globalize the intifada,” which has been used for years at pro-Palestinian protests worldwide, refers to international solidarity against Israeli occupation.” [vii]
L: The response of the Palestinian action
“We are shocked and absolutely horrified by the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, which targeted the Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah. Our thoughts are with all those who have suffered due to this appalling attack, with the families of all the dead, and especially with the Jewish community. No one, anywhere in Sydney or anywhere in the world, should have to live in fear of terrorism or racist hate.
We salute the heroic actions of Ahmed al Ahmed, who bravely tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen, saving countless lives, and was shot twice in the process.
We reiterate our complete condemnation of antisemitism and all other forms of racism. For years, we have stood and marched in our hundreds of thousands, side by side with members of the Jewish community, to fight for a world free of racist violence and oppression, from Sydney to Gaza. Antisemitism has never had any place in our movement, nor in the world we want to live in.
In this context, we are utterly shocked and appalled to see the comments by Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal, seeking to exploit this tragedy to try to blame it on the March for Humanity, which saw 300,000 people, including thousands of Jewish people, march peacefully together to oppose genocide and racism.
We must not let Israeli politicians, Segal, or the far right, turn this tragedy into further racist hate” [viii]
M: Conclusion
The imperialists who support the Zionist monster are guilty of the killing of the 15 Jews in Australia. They all use this killing to justify the genocide in Gaza and the terror in the West Bank. The good news is that this event does not break the pro-Palestinian movement. Chabad and its supporters, who justify the genocide in Gaza and the terror in the West Bank, are not innocent. To fight Anti-Semitism, it is necessary to fight against Zionism.
Down with Zionism!
For Palestine, red and free from the river to the Sea!
Endnotes:
[i] https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/hanukkah/history-hanukkah-story#:~:text=Han
[ii] Shabbat 21b
[iii] https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/hanukkah/history-hanukkah-story#:~:text=Hanukkah%2C%20which%20means%20%E2%80%9Cdedication%2C%E2%80%9D%20is,occupation%20of%20that%20holy%20place.
[iv] https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/804034/jewish/How-Do-I-Explain-Israels-Actions.htm
[v] https://www.euaa.europa.eu/country-guidance-iraq-2024/24-islamic-state-iraq-and-levant-isil
[vi] https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/KtbxLxgRRmjVngTZGqFzldqdzhZTnRBNnB
[vii] https://www.nbcnews.com/world/australia/bondi-beach-attack-intifada-chants-face-restrictions-uk-rcna250196
[viii] https://www.instagram.com/p/DSQrd7bEs-3/