PSNA condemns anti-semitic terrorist attack on Bondi Beach and those trying to exploit this horrific act of race-hatred

PSNA was appalled and shocked at Sunday’s anti-semitic terror attack targeting the Jewish community in Australia on the first day of the celebration of Hanukkah.

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Co-Chair John Minto says he’s thinking of the families who have lost loved ones in this most dreadful of circumstances.

“For those who would try to make out otherwise, we reiterate our condemnation of racism and race hatred of any kind – whether it is anti-semitism, anti-Māori racism, anti-Palestinian racism or white supremacy. There is no place for any of it anywhere in the world.

 “The best antidote to race hatred is community solidarity and we stand with the Jewish community in the face of such horror.”

 “For many decades, and the past two years in particular, we have protested and marched side by side with Jews and Jewish groups to condemn the genocide in Gaza and stand with the Palestinian people in their struggle for liberation,” Minto says.

“We have always made clear our campaign targets Israel’s genocide, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing. Jews are not responsible for these policies, despite Netanyahu claiming he is acting and speaking as ‘Prime Minister’ of all Jews.”

Minto says Palestine supporters were also appalled when Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and leaders of the pro-Israeli lobby in Australia and New Zealand, tried to exploit the horror in Bondi by blaming it on condemnation of Israel’s genocide and the Australian government’s (largely non-existent) support for Palestinian rights.

“This blaming almost invariably comes from people who support Israel’s actions in Gaza. Their strategy is to exploit the killing in Bondi to help the Israel government carry on its genocide and ethnic cleansing without criticism.”

Minto says he’s concerned that the strategy will cross the Tasman to panic the New Zealand government into introducing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-semitism into New Zealand legislation.

“This definition is used to target people supporting Palestine.  The Israeli government has managed to get it into government legislation, university rules and local government policy in many parts of the western world.”

“It’s all part of Netanyahu’s ‘Eighth Front’ to silence Israel’s critics.”

“It has no place here.”

John Minto

Co-Chair

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa