Terror in Australia- Who’s to Blame?

Dear Editor:

Is there a connection between anti-Israelism and antisemitism? It’s a question worth asking in the wake of the massacre of Jews in Australia.

In 2018, Australia’s conservative prime minister, Scott Morrison, announced his country’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. But in 2022, the Labor Party’s Anthony Albanese was elected prime minister, and he quickly rescinded that recognition.

The Albanese administration also declared that it would henceforth characterize Judea, Samaria, Gaza and the Old City section of Jerusalem as “Occupied Palestinian Territories” and would regard all Jewish communities in those areas as “illegal.”

Not long afterwards, Australia announced it would not sell weapons to Israel, because of Israel’s pursuit of Hamas terrorists in Gaza. And Australia supported UN resolutions harshly attacking Israel.

Did this steady stream of anti-Israel policy moves create an atmosphere in Australia in which hatred of Israel is seen as legitimate, which in turn has encouraged antisemitism?

The government’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, said last year that during the first weeks following October 7, there was “a 700 per cent increase” in antisemitic incidents in the country.

The Council of Australian Jewry, which monitors such attacks, has reported that between November 2023 and August 2024, there was a 300 to 400 percent increase in antisemitic incidents as compared to the previous year.

A Monash University poll in June 2024 found that 20% of Australia’s approximately 117,000 Jews personally experienced antisemitism in the previous year.

When pro-Hamas rallies erupted in multiple Australian cities, Prime Minister Albanese said there was nothing he could do about them—even though Australia’s Unlawful Processions and Assemblies Act of 1958 enables the government to ban any public gathering that it believes will “incite religious or political discord.”

Is it just a coincidence that there has been so much antisemitism in Australia during the same period that the Australian government has been turning against Israel and tolerating local pro-Hamas activity?

What lessons are Australia’s extremists learning from the actions of the nation’s political leadership? When ganging up on the Jewish State becomes acceptable in mainstream society, fringe elements may well conclude that ganging up on Jews generally likewise will be tolerated.

The initial statement issued by Prime Minister Albanese in response to the massacre of Australian Jews celebrating Hanukkah did not mention Jews, Hanukkah, antisemitism or even terrorism. What message does that send?

Sincerely
Prof. Rafael Medoff

President Calls European Nations ‘Weak’ and ‘Decaying’

Dear Editor:

This is a message for Infidels. Radical Islam hates you, while Israel loves you and has always taken care of you.

3,000 years ago, Israel transformed the world. It gave you the Ten Commandments which formed the moral and legal platform on which we have thrived while the rest of mankind stagnated. We became innovators. Islam remained scavengers, gaining territory and wealth by plunder.

Islam’s current adversary is Israel, the nation with the most international legitimacy on earth.

The British Mandate for Palestine was defined at San Remo in 1920 as one of several mandates carved out of the Ottoman Empire following WWI. In 1921 Churchill cut off 78% of the land, that east of the Jordan River, and gave it to the Hashemites to create Transjordan. The British Mandate for Palestine became 2 states, one Jewish and one Arab. It was unanimously confirmed by the League of Nations in 1922 and sealed by article 80 of the U.N. charter. This means U.N. members accept that Israel includes all of the Jewish side of the mandate. Simply stated, Judea, Samaria and Gaza are Israeli. Syria lost the Golan Heights in a war of aggression against Israel.

During the mandate, Jews were called Palestinians. Arabs identified with their clans or from where they had emigrated. Today, Israel includes 20% non-Jews, who enjoy full civil rights. The Arab world, which expelled 800,000 Jews, penniless, after 1948 has few Jews left.

In 1964, Egypt and the Soviet KGB created the Palestinian Liberation Organization to ‘drive the Jews into the sea’ and diminish American influence in the region. They recruited fighters from throughout Middle East and North Africa and called them “Palestinians”. Their modus operandi was terrorism.

These newly-named Palestinians challenged Egyptian authority and were forced to flee to Jordan, the Arab part of the British mandate. They tried to overthrow the king, who killed thousands and chased the rest into Lebanon. There, they joined in the civil war. Israel was invited in. The PLO was allowed to relocate in Libya. That was Israel’s first major error.

Their second was allowing Bill Clinton to coax Ehud Barak to shake Yasser Arafat’s hand. The Oslo accords allowed 100,000 PLO members into Israel.

In 2005, Ariel Sharon removed the Jews from Gaza and informally turned the territory over to the P.A. to see what they could achieve. This was the third strike.

Oct. 7, 2023 was the result of these miscalculations.

Radical Islam is not your friend. Canada, Australia and western Europe are falling under its influence. Will America remain free?

Sincerely
Len Bennett, Author of ‘Unfinished Work’
Deerfield Beach, Fl.

Young Jewish Voters Embracing “Progressivism”

Dear Editor:

An increasing percentage of younger Democrats and younger Jewish voters are not aligning with Israel. We are witnessing more and more Jews embracing their new religion of “Progressivism” over Israel and Jewish Civil Rights. New York City, home to the largest population of Jews, elected a mayor, Mamdani, whose doublespeak defies definition. He denies he hates Jews but calls for the end to Israel as a Jewish State. He appointed well known Jew hater Tamika Mallory to an official position. Mallory called the “Black Hitler”, Jew hating Nation of Islam Louis Farrakhan her G.O.A.T, Greatest Of All Time. Calls for Israel’s demise as a Jewish State will become part of the near future’s rallying cry. Each generation is successively more ignorant of their own and humankind’s history, and think just because they say so, everyone will love each other, and everyone will get a free bus ride. Tell that to Islamic Jihad, to Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, the Republic of Iran, and see how far it takes you.

Sincerely
Ginette Weiner