South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP) is shocked and saddened to learn of the murder of at least fifteen people and the wounding of many more at Bondi Beach in Australia.
SAJFP is outraged by this violent act. With anxiety, we look for news that those who were wounded make the fullest and swiftest recovery.
This atrocity was aimed at those attending a Hanukkah celebration — a traditional religious event of great significance to Judaism. It is especially tragic that this act took place during what is also known as “the Festival of Lights”, which should be a moment of peace and hope — a true celebration of Jewish survival.
We reject any cynical use of this horrific act to promote Islamophobia, racism, Zionism, or to crack down on advocacy and activism that is critical of Israel and supports the right of Palestinians to justice and self-determination. We note that it was a Lebanese Muslim man who disarmed one of the attackers and saved countless lives.
We reaffirm our position as an anti-violent movement that supports the right of resistance against colonialism and oppression. We believe all human life is equally sacred, whether the victims are in Bondi, Gaza, Sudan or the DRC.
SAJFP is proud to support the people of Palestine and oppose Zionism, and we reaffirm our belief that Zionism is the greatest threat to the safety of Jews around the world. We reject the opportunistic claim that Jews can be safe from antisemitism only on the basis of an ethno-national state like Israel which is built on genocide, inequality, exclusion, settler colonialism and violent ethnic cleansing.
We call for the embracing of Jewish values such as tikkun olam (the duty to heal the world), pikuach nefesh (the sanctity of human life), tzedakah (justice and charity) and chesed (loving kindness), and will continue to work towards the liberation of the Palestinian people as well as towards a safer world for all who live in it.