I refer the readers at the outset to two earlier articles published in Oman newspaper: “Zionism and the Question of the State: From Secularism to Religious Fundamentalism” and “The Rise of Antisemitism between Hitler and Netanyahu.” Both addressed the complex position of Jews within global Zionism and racial antisemitism. To avoid repeating the conceptual and historical background beyond the scope of this piece, the focus here is a humanitarian issue arising from the killing of Jews during celebrations of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, which commemorates the Maccabean victory in the second century BCE and the restoration of religious freedom.
The incident occurred on December 14, 2025 at Bondi Beach in Sydney. The attack was carried out by Sajid Akram, originally from Hyderabad, India, who migrated to Australia in 1998, together with his son, Naveed Akram, an Australian citizen by birth. They opened fire on those celebrating, killing around 16 people and injuring others. Amid the chaos, Ahmed al Ahmad, of Syrian origin, intervened and managed to stop Naveed Akram from continuing the attack. His courageous act prevented further loss of life and disrupted a narrative that could otherwise have fuelled widespread Islamophobia.
There is no dispute that this was a crime against humanity. No religion, ideology or grievance can justify the killing of innocent people. All religious traditions uphold the sanctity of life and the right to practise religious and cultural rituals freely. Collective blame must not be imposed on any religion, ethnicity or nation for crimes committed by individuals. This principle applies universally, including to the atrocities committed against civilians in Gaza since October 2023 and the devastating events that followed.
A fundamental distinction must always be drawn between aggressors and non-aggressors. Peace is the default principle governing human relations, and life, dignity and property are inviolable. Terrorising civilians is unacceptable under any circumstances. It is equally essential to distinguish between religions and those who claim affiliation with them. The presence of extremist texts or historical episodes within religious traditions does not render all adherents extremists. Such texts are context-bound and often misused. Extremism by some individuals can never justify generalising an entire community. Each incident must be examined within its specific context, free from methodological and moral distortion.
At the time of writing, the motives behind the Bondi attack remain unclear. There have been indications linking it to IS. In the Western public imagination, IS is often equated wholesale with Islam, a narrative that has long served to intensify Islamophobia. At the same time, the incident has been used to revive the rhetoric of antisemitism, with renewed attempts to instrumentalise such tragedies to justify other crimes under the banner of protecting Jewish identity. Religious and historical narratives are repeatedly drawn into these debates in ways that demand sober, disciplined analysis rather than ideological projection.
Two broader issues emerge. The first concerns the growing sense of insecurity felt by Jews worldwide, particularly as a reaction to events in Palestine and Gaza. This was reflected in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s 2024 address to the US Congress, where he warned of a global rise in antisemitism and efforts to delegitimise Israel. Such conditions understandably lead some Jews to conceal their religious identity or travel under different nationalities.
The second issue lies in the prevalence of reckless public discourse — political and religious — that relies on generalisation and confusion. These narratives shape negative collective perceptions and can encourage extremism and violence. Populist rhetoric is easily exploited by political actors or militant groups to mobilise individuals lacking critical awareness, often in the name of religion or ideology.
What is urgently needed today is a disciplined, humane discourse. The Bondi Beach attack has no connection to Islam or Muslims, just as the crime committed against Jews there is utterly indefensible. Human life is indivisible. Crimes committed against Palestinians do not implicate Jews as a whole, nor do they justify violence against Jews because of their faith or identity. Violence has no inherent religion or ideology, even when religious or historical texts are misused to legitimise it. Only rational, ethical engagement — free from generalisation and emotional incitement — can protect human dignity and prevent further tragedy.
(The original version of this article was published in Arabic in the print edition of Oman newspaper on December 24 and is translated by Badr al Dhafari)
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