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Monday, December 22, 2025

12/22 Links Pt1: The Maccabees of Bondi Beach; Hating Zionists, killing Jews; Conditional Condolences; Hamas Front Group Runs Wikipedia Editing Course

From Ian:

Dave Rich: Hating Zionists, killing Jews
If this is how things work, then we are entitled to ask: what was the demonising, stereotyping and stigmatising, the increasing hostility and outpourings of hatred, that led terrorists in Australia, Britain and the United States to not only murder Jews, but to all justify it by reference to “Zionists” and child killers?

It’s impossible to separate this from the tidal wave of hatred directed towards “Zionists” from the anti-Israel movement on our streets and online. The cries of “Death to all Zionists”, the calls for Zionists to be driven from our campuses, and the chants of “Zionist scum, off our streets”. The claims that “Zionists” control the UK government and are genocidal baby killers. The comparisons of Zionism to Nazism. The repeated slogans of “Death to the IDF”, “Intifada” and “Resistance”. All of this hatred and dehumanisation, combined with calls for radical action, reached a pitch long ago where terrorism against Jews became entirely predictable.

When people point this out, they are accused of weaponising antisemitism (a particularly revolting phrase, given how often antisemites now use weapons to kill Jews); or distracting people to enable the slaughter of Palestinians; or being part of a coordinated PR campaign to protect Israel; or - most ridiculously - that nobody ever chants “globalise the Intifada” anyway. Ironically, this often comes from the same people who are quickest to point the finger at wider right wing rhetoric when trying to explain far right violence. It’s gaslighting, plain and simple.

Nor does it matter that this incitement is directed at “Zionists”, because we see now - if we ever doubted it - that hatred of Zionists lands on Jews. This operates on a spectrum, from the most murderous to the most fleeting. Last night I went to my local menorah lighting for the eighth night of Chanukah. It was dark and rainy, but a bigger crowd than usual, a sign of solidarity and togetherness after the awfulness of Bondi. The Chabad rabbi tried to inject some joy, as they always do. And a middle-aged woman, walking past, repeatedly shouted “Free Palestine” at the crowd, looking pleased with herself as she did so. I don’t think she is a potential killer. But in her sentiment, her irrepressible urge to harass Jews celebrating Chanukah, she was expressing the same underlying hatred as the Akrams, just in less violent form.

In theory, it should be possible to have a non-extremist movement that campaigns for Palestinian rights. In reality, though, the anti-Israel movement we actually have has provided a welcoming environment for extremists and antisemites. It wouldn’t be the first time that a legitimate cause had been distorted in this way: the far right do the same, hijacking legitimate concerns about immigration to incite hatred of foreigners. A similar thing has clearly happened here too: the Palestinian cause has been co-opted by extremists who use its language and slogans to incite, and act out, hatred of Jews.

It is true that even extremists have a right to protest, but the presence of hateful, violent rhetoric on anti-Israel marches is too visible to deny, and now that this same language is being used to justify the killing of Jews, the consequences are too lethal to ignore. In an ideal world the protest organisers would be proactively trying to help, but that seems unlikely. Instead, it must mean that these demonstrations are policed differently, and it is good to see that this is starting to happen. It should also trouble the MPs, trade unions and NGOs that back the marches or speak at them, that they are associated with this hatred. One way or another, things have to change. Bondi, Manchester, Boulder and Washington D.C.: the most dangerous form of anti-Jewish terrorism today looks, and sounds, like violent anti-Zionism.
Sami Shah: Conditional Condolences
When Christchurch happened in 2019, when Muslims were slaughtered in a mosque, I don’t remember the Left going, “Our hearts go out and we condemn Islamophobia, and also we condemn antisemitism, transphobia, and anti-black racism.” I don’t remember the Instagram posts being like:

“Point 1: It is evil to massacre civilians for being Muslim.
Point 2: Obviously Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, Syria’s atrocities against its own civilians, and Pakistan’s persecution of Ahmadis must continue to be opposed.”

No one did that. Because it would have been psychotic.

Because everyone instinctively understood: this is a moment for the victims. This is a moment to name the people targeted. This is a moment to say “Muslims,” out loud, without flinching like it’s a swear word.

But when it’s Jews? Suddenly it’s “Yes, tragic… anyway, here is my Gaza position.”

Why?

Why does Jewish grief come with terms and conditions?

Why is “All Lives Matter” cringe when it’s used to dilute Black suffering… but completely acceptable when it’s used to dilute Jewish suffering?

Because that’s what this is. “We condemn antisemitism and also anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia and everything else…” It’s the grief version of someone hijacking a birthday speech to announce they’ve started a podcast.

And I saw so many posts—from people who proudly describe themselves as leftists and progressives—reacting to Bondi without even saying the word “Jew.” They said “community.” They said “innocent people.” They said “tragedy.” They said everything except the thing that was actually targeted. Like the victims were killed by a vague weather event; a cloud of bullets drifting in on a sea breeze.

It’s like they were afraid that if they said “Jewish” their phone would vibrate and a committee would appear behind them like, “Just checking: do you also condemn Israel?”

And this is what really makes me feral: this attack was against Jews. A Jewish festival. A Jewish community event. The whole point of terrorism is targeting identity—to make the identity feel unsafe anywhere. And some people’s first instinct is: “Yes, but…”

But what?

But Gaza?

But Israel?

But Netanyahu?

But Zionism?

No.

Stop it.

You can oppose Israeli policy. You can call out Israeli war crimes. You can scream about Gaza until your throat falls out. But if you cannot mourn murdered Jews in Australia without immediately pivoting to Israel, then you are not doing solidarity. You are doing a performance. And the people you’re stepping on to reach the stage are dead.
The Maccabees of Bondi Beach
On the first night of Hanukkah, the Jewish community was thrust into another nightmare, when at least 15 people were killed and more than 40 wounded in a mass shooting by a father-son duo at a Chabad event in Bondi Beach. Those killed in the attack included a 10-year-old named Matilda Bee Britvan, whose family moved to Australia to escape the war in Ukraine, and Alex Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor killed while trying to shield his wife. Australian authorities later confirmed that the gathering had been deliberately targeted and meticulously planned, marking one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in the country’s history.

In the hours and days that followed, one story quickly rose above the rest. Footage circulating online showed a heroic bystander, later identified as Ahmed al-Ahmed, rushing toward one of the attackers and wrestling a gun out of the terrorist’s hands.

As the footage spread rapidly across social media and news broadcasts, it soon came to dominate the public conversation, increasingly framing the attack as a story of Muslim-Jewish reconciliation rather than an act of antisemitic violence, with Ahmed al-Ahmed becoming the central figure through which the massacre was understood. This reframing allows Australia to look away from its deeper failures that made the attack possible. It also obscures another critical fact: that there were many Jews at the event who also behaved with unbelievable heroism and bravery, whose names have been largely absent from the narrative.


Defiant sister of slain Bondi Beach rabbi — who battles Jew hate in her own Brooklyn nabe — says ‘We’re not afraid’
The Brooklyn sister of the beloved rabbi slain in the Bondi Beach Hanukkah massacre is doubling down on her Jewish pride, insisting, “We’re not hiding and we’re not afraid.”

Chani Schlanger Drizin, 54, sat shiva this week for her baby brother, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, in her home in Crown Heights, which has been a hotbed of antisemitic attacks for years — and again this week.

She insisted she’ll honor her brother’s legacy and her faith by standing proud in the face of rising hate.

“He would tell us to keep going,” said Drizin, who wore a freshly torn sweatshirt, per the Jewish custom as an expression of pain.

Her brother helped organize the Hanukkah celebration on Dec. 14, the first night of the holiday.
Why I refuse to choose between Jewish peoplehood and Jewish red lines this Hanukkah
The danger today often comes not from the loudest anti-Zionist voices, but from Jewish leaders who lend them legitimacy. When Jewish leaders publicly endorse or normalize figures whose rhetoric erases Jewish peoplehood or excuses violence against Israelis, they launder positions incompatible with Jewish safety and self-determination. That is why I draw hard lines.

I will not share a bimah with Jewish leaders whose actions help legitimize violence against Israelis. I will not break bread at communal tables with those who deny Jewish self-determination.

Judith Butler justifying the Oct. 7 attacks as “armed resistance.” Peter Beinart endorsing forms of BDS that cut off dialogue with half the Jewish People. Neturei Karta embracing Iranian leaders who call for the annihilation of Israel.

These are not internal policy disputes. They are alignments with movements that seek Jewish harm. These are the contemporary Pablo Christianis — the medieval convert who didn’t just leave Judaism but actively worked with the Church against Jews, who advocated for burning the Talmud and forced Jews into rigged theological debates designed to humiliate and endanger Jewish communities.

I want to be clear: I’m not claiming these individuals wake up wanting to harm Jews. I’m saying intent doesn’t erase consequence. When Jews align with movements that justify violence against Jews, that deny Jewish self-determination, that partner with regimes calling for Jewish destruction — whatever the motivation — they are functioning as collaborators with forces that endanger us. That alignment itself is the betrayal.

The entire Schlanger family, including wife, Chaya, and five kids, from 17 to six weeks old, showed up to help the rabbi run the beloved annual Hanukkah by the Sea event that drew some 2,000 people.

Death rained down when Sajid Akram, 50, and his son, Naveed, 24, allegedly opened fire on the crowd, killing 15 and leaving dozens hurt. The rabbi was shot in the back after throwing himself on a community member to shield them from the bullets, and died instantly.

Chaya, who was grazed in the back, tried to take cover with their 13-year-old son and newborn, who took shrapnel to the leg and was released from the hospital on Thursday, according to Drizin.
Gideon Falter: We’ve appeased Islamism for too long – no wonder British Jews don’t see a future in this country
This polling reflects a reality: sit at practically any Shabbat dinner table and people will bring up the latest act of hatred and question their future here. In the words of one Jewish grandfather who did not relish learning Hebrew: “Where should we move to? It’s no better anywhere else in the West.”

Indeed, the bullets on Bondi beach could just have easily been fired here. Police in London have just charged two men with membership of Hezbollah. Both are accused of attending terrorist training in Lebanon, while one is also charged with preparing an act of terrorism.

As the Yom Kippur attack in Manchester reminds us, terrorists need only be lucky once; our police and security services do not have that luxury.

What confronts the Jewish community confronts us all, and politicians and police chiefs can no longer look the other way. The enemy is at the gate.

Appeasement always reaps the same bitter harvest, and history tells us that often the Jews are the first to notice because we are a tiny community – easy pickings for the extremists. But the cowardice of this country’s institutions does not threaten us alone.

Banning chants of “Globalise the intifada” is not the bold action that the moment demands. Indeed it is tragic. The law has not changed – police chiefs could have taken action all any time in the last two plus years. Thanks to their inaction, from Manchester to Sydney, the intifada is very much globalised.

Just as they could have banned the chants on October 8, they could also have banned the hate marches, using the same power that police recently used to ban a march through Tower Hamlets. They could sentence Islamists with the same fervour they mustered after Southport. At the stroke of a pen, our tough-talking Home Secretary could proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

These remedies require resolve, but are mostly obvious. As our polling shows, it is also obvious who is to blame for the current state of affairs. Politicians and police chiefs need to act now.

Soon, solutions that would work today will themselves be too little, too late.
Terror-training for primary school children, synagogues turned into fortresses... and racist abuse in Tesco: FRANCINE WOLFISZ on life as a Jewish mother in Britain today
Days after the atrocities unleashed by Hamas terrorists on October 7, when our minds were still reeling from that darkest day, I remember clutching my young son's hand as we walked through the doors of our local supermarket.

I didn't notice he was still wearing his kippah, which he wears every day at his Jewish primary school - but someone else had.

'Why don't you f*** off and go back to your own country?' the man shouted at us.

But I am in my country, I whispered fearfully under my breath.

My son didn't need to be told twice either. He whipped that kippah off his head, the clips still attached to his hair, and stuffed it into his pocket.

Apart from with my husband, I have seldom spoken of that story until now. Because in my heart I believed Britain was and still is the tolerant country I had grown up in. This man was a racist, but an anomaly.

In all my years, I had been very thankful not to have ever personally experienced any incidents of anti-Semitism. Britain has been good to the Jews, my parents and grandparents constantly told me, and I had no reason to believe otherwise.

But the events of the last two years have shown a series of disquieting incidents that have increasingly led British Jews to believe they are no longer as safe as they were.

And if you can't be safe in your own home, where can you be?
Stephen Pollard: New ‘Islamophobia’ definition will do nothing to stop hate crime and is fraught with danger
Members of the working group have indicated that they think that by avoiding the word Islamophobia they have somehow removed the issues raised by it. This is, to be blunt, idiotic. The issue is not whether restricting discussion of issues involving Islam and Muslims is done in the name of tackling Islamophobia or whether it is done in the name of tackling anti-Muslim hate. The issue is the impact on such discussions, however they are labelled. Be in no doubt, for example, as to the result of defining anti-Muslim hate as “harassment and intimidation whether physical, verbal, written or electronically communicated, which is directed at Muslims or those perceived to be Muslims because of their religion, ethnicity or appearance”. It would mean that discussion of the common religious identity of so many grooming gang members would be branded as anti-Muslim hate.

None of this has arisen in a vacuum. It is merely one prong – albeit an important one – in the influence of Muslim Brotherhood (MB) front groups, their mainstream sympathisers and allies. Already people are prosecuted for burning the Koran or for saying things that some Muslims say is offensive - and where mobs, as in Batley, can force a teacher into hiding for daring to show an image of Muhammad in a lesson on freedom of expression. The idea that this is some sort of benign attempt to tackle prejudice against Muslims – who are, rightly, protected by the law, like everyone else – is at best naïve (there are some proponents of a definition whose naivety is indeed genuine, however bizarre it might be that they are unaware of the nature of the MB and its allies) but, more often, a typically sophistic piece of deception by Brotherhood allies and front groups.

Given Labour’s majority, and its sheer terror at the rise of the sectarian Muslim vote, there is little chance that this can be resisted politically. But there are other avenues open – not least judicial review, since the working group’s modus operandi appears, according to some expert lawyers, not to comply with the statutory duty of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to advise on religious discrimination.

The EHRC has itself warned that an official definition could have a “chilling effect” on freedom of speech and harm community cohesion. It wrote to Communities Secretary Steve Reed to warn that a formal definition could cause “inconsistency” and “confusion” for courts and individuals. As they pointed out, it is “unclear what role a new definition would play”, given that legal protections against discrimination and hate crime already exist.

These arguments might have some sway if the intention behind a definition was benign or to bolster community cohesion. But it isn’t: those pushing for a definition are either deliberately seeking to privilege Islam so that non-believers are prevented as far as possible from critiquing its teachings, its scriptures and the actions of its adherents; or they have so swallowed the fiction that it is a mere tidying up exercise to give Muslims the protection that they are due, that they have lost the ability to judge reality.
‘Zionists’ condemned in Bondi terror video
Zionists were explicitly condemned in a video filmed by the alleged Bondi Beach gunmen as they outlined their justification for the terrorist attack that killed 15 people at a Chanukah event, newly released Sydney court documents say.

Police said Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid, recorded themselves reciting a Quran passage, with the footage showing Naveed then speaking in English about their motivations for the “Bondi attack” and denouncing the actions of “Zionists” while seated in front of an Islamic State flag and surrounded by firearms, Australia’s ABC News reported on Monday.

Terrorists threw IEDs at the Chanukah event
The pair are accused of throwing four improvised explosive devices at a Jewish crowd at Archer Park, which failed to detonate, before opening fire from a footbridge on the evening of Dec. 14.

Police said the pair parked their car on Campbell Parade in Bondi Beach at about 6:50 p.m. and then draped Islamic State flags over the front and rear windscreens. They then allegedly carried three firearms, three pipe bombs and a homemade “tennis ball bomb” as they walked toward the footbridge and began shooting at the Chanukah by the Sea gathering.

One IED was found in the car that the gunmen drove from the Sydney suburb of Campsie, where they rented a property.

Naveed Akram faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. He was moved on Monday from a hospital to a correctional facility after a Sydney court lifted an interim suppression order to release a redacted police statement of facts. His father was shot dead by police.

Father and son gunmen conducted firearms training
The accused Bondi gunman and his father also conducted firearms training in the countryside, another video dated to late October shows, with the location suspected to be in New South Wales. “The accused and his father are seen throughout the video firing shotguns and moving in a tactical manner,” according to the court documents.

The document also reveals that two males, “believed to be the accused and his father,” were recorded on CCTV on the evening of Dec. 12 surveying the area of Archer Park, exiting their vehicle and walking along the footbridge they would later use as their position for the terrorist attack.

“Police allege that this is evidence of reconnaissance and planning of a terrorist act,” the court documents say.
‘My husband was SHOT … I thought my baby was DEAD,’ Bondi survivor
Caught in the Bondi terror attack, a young mum and dad share their terrifying story of survival and a powerful message every Aussie needs to hear.


‘People screaming and crying’: Bondi survivors speak on their harrowing experience
Bondi attack survivors Phillip and Mimi Lebovitz joined Sky News Australia to discuss their experience of the tragic events and remember those who lost their lives.


Rabbi Benzion Milecki: Rapid spread of antisemitism under Labor has destroyed Australia's world-leading reputation as a safe haven for Jewish people
Do you know why Jews returned to our ancient homeland and created the modern State of Israel – the country towards which you and your government have shown such manifest disdain?

We are sick and tired of being persecuted without protection in the countries where we lived.

We are sick and tired of living in ghettos.

And yet here we are, living under a government which through its lack of strong action not only enables the destruction of our synagogues and mass murder at our peaceful celebrations, but also undermines Israel, the only country where we can take our safety and security into our own hands.

Prime Minister, you may be popular today, but unless you radically change your course on the dual issues of antisemitism and Israel, you will go down in history as the Prime Minister who oversaw the exodus of Jews from Australia, a country they loved so dearly and to which they contributed so much.

Make no mistake: this will not only mean the end of Australia for Jews.

It will also mean the end of the Australia they knew for ALL Australians.

For history has shown that in a society where antisemitism thrives a poison sets in which ultimately destroys it.

Prime Minister: It’s not too late to change.

Act decisively, and act NOW!


Albanese told he was “not wanted” by rabbi of congregation targeted at Bondi
A bombshell recording obtained by Sky News shows the head rabbi of the Bondi congregation targeted in last weekend’s terrorist attack recounting how he told Prime Minister Anthony Albanese he was not wanted at his synagogue.

Chabad of Bondi’s Rabbi Yehoram Ulman received a phone call from the Prime Minister on the Monday after the attack and spoke to him again on Wednesday, the day he buried his son-in-law Rabbi Eli Schlanger, another rabbi at the temple and the first victim to be identified in the massacre.

Rabbi Schlanger was a father of five, whose two-month-old baby son was also injured in the attack.

In a recording of a phone conversation between Rabbi Ulman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at 7.55pm on Wednesday, after Rabbi Schlanger's funeral service and burial, the respected rabbi recounts in Hebrew the conversations he had with Mr Albanese.

“After it happened on Sunday, lots of people came to my Chabad House - the Prime Minister Albanese also wanted to come and I asked [him not to come] because I knew my son-in-law wouldn’t be happy about it,” Mr Ulman says.

“The Rabbis he was looking to take pictures with, I have asked him not to come.”
Bombshell phone call shows Rabbi blaming Anthony Albanese for Bondi massacre
Sky News Senior Reporter Caroline Marcus reveals details about the head Rabbi of the synagogue whose Hanukkah event was targeted in last Sunday's terror attack.

Ms Marcus said the Rabbi told Prime Minister Anthony Albanese he was “not welcome” at his synagogue.

“Now, I can show you a recording of the explosive phone call between Rabbi Ulman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the massacre, where the respected Jewish leader blames Anthony Albanese and his foreign affairs minister Penny Wong for the bloodshed.”




‘Beyond politics’: Albanese’s apology to Jews comes across as ‘incredibly’ insincere
Sky News host Danica De Giorgio analyses Prime Minister Anthony Albanese apologising to the Jewish community for the Bondi massacre.

“Under pressure and missing in action, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today said sorry to the Jewish community,” Ms De Giorgio said.

“So now he says he is sorry, better late than never but call me cynical, I don’t believe him.”




Tony Abbott claims Prime Minister Anthony Albanese 'frightened' of potential federal Royal Commission findings
Former prime minister Tony Abbott has claimed Anthony Albanese is “frightened” by what a federal Royal Commission into the Bondi Beach terrorist attack could reveal.

The Prime Minister has refused to call a Royal Commission into the Bondi Beach massacre, instead announcing a departmental review into federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the wake of the shooting.

This decision has led Labor MPs to break ranks with Mr Albanese, with Ed Husic and Mike Freelander calling on the Prime Minister to adopt a sweeping Commonwealth Royal Commission.

Mr Abbott said the Prime Minister was concerned by a federal Royal Commission's power to subpoena documents, compel witnesses and get to the bottom of the “whole sorry mess”.

“I can understand why the Prime Minister doesn't want to have a federal Royal Commission because he's frightened of what will come out,” he told Sky News.

“I think he's frightened that there will be advice that went to government, which we currently don't know about, that warned of the likelihood of terrorist events.

“There may well be WhatsApp messages between the Prime Minister and Ministers which have been making light of the whole anti-Jewish hatred, which has been rampant in our community for the last two years.”

Mr Abbott said the Albanese government’s lesser in-house review was a “cop-out” designed to avoid close scrutiny.

“It's basically the Prime Minister looking into the Prime Minister. I don't think we can expect any real insights to come from that," he said.

“(The) Jewish hatred that we've seen is a national problem, it's not just a New South Wales problem. That's why if the Prime Minister is finally going to be fair dinkum about making a difference, he really has to have a national Royal Commission.

“He says there'll be cooperation between the feds and a state Royal Commission, but the State Royal Commission, I think, will have enormous difficulty actually getting to the bottom of this because it won't be able to compel the production of witnesses and documents from inside the federal system.”




Thousands sign petition urging Albanese government to hold Royal Commission over Bondi attack
Thousands of people have backed the establishment of a Commonwealth Royal Commission into the Bondi attack within hours of an online petition going live.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has so far rebuffed calls for federal inquiry, instead announcing a lesser departmental review.

The move came despite mounting pressure for him to establish a Royal Commission, including from the Opposition – which has drafted terms of reference for such a commission and called on the government to "immediately" establish a national inquiry.

On Monday, that pressure grew further, with a Change.org petition in support of a Commonwealth Royal Commission attracting thousands of signatures shortly after going live.

Petition organiser Marnie Perlstein said establishing the commission would be “the least that the Albanese government can do”.

“I feel that the deadliest terrorist attack on Australian soil warrants the very highest level of independent inquiry,” she told Sky News Australia.

“Quite frankly, I think that to the families of the 15 people who died last week and to our entire Jewish community who has lived with untold horror for two years, it is the least that the Albanese government can do.”


‘International pariah’: Albanese resists calls for royal commission into Bondi massacre
Former Victoria Liberal Party president Michael Kroger says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is an “international pariah” after not wanting to call a royal commission into the Bondi Beach massacre.

“He [Anthony Albanese] was warned for two years this bloke, for two years he was warned by the Jewish community,” Mr Kroger told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio.

“He won’t call a royal commission, for goodness sake … this guy is just an international pariah.”




Oprah is just the latest to pretend Jews aren’t under attack
When Jews are attacked, the world is often quick to ask why.

Was it a political grievance? A local dispute? A reaction to events thousands of miles away?

This reflex, to contextualize violence against Jews rather than name it for what it is, has become one of the most dangerous habits of our time.

More troubling still is the failure to name the crime itself.

This is precisely what happened when Oprah Winfrey responded to last week’s massacre on Australia’s Bondi Beach.

Her message of condolence read as if she were describing a natural disaster rather than a planned attack: “I just spent the last two weeks in Australia, walking Bondi just days ago. It’s hard to reconcile that sense of peace with the terror of last night,” she wrote. “My heart breaks for the victims, their families and loved ones, and all you Aussies.”

The omission is striking. There is no mention of Jews. No acknowledgment that this was a targeted act of anti-Jewish violence.

Read this way, Winfrey’s statement echoes an older and far more sinister tradition, one that recalls the Soviet Union’s official response to the 1941 massacre at Babi Yar.

Then, too, the state mourned “peaceful Soviet citizens” while deliberately erasing the fact those murdered were singled out precisely because they were Jewish.

Whether Winfrey’s comments come from deliberate obfuscation is unclear.


Estranged wife of dead Bondi gunman refuses to accept husband’s body
The wife of Bondi terrorist Sajid Akram has reportedly refused to accept his body, as it emerged the killer was homeless in the months before the massacre.

The gunman, 50, was shot dead by police after he and his son allegedly opened fire on crowds celebrating Jewish festival Hanukkah on December 14.

Naveed Akram was charged with 59 offences - including 15 counts of murder - after waking up from a coma in hospital.

Meanwhile, Sajid's body remains in the morgue a week on from the deadly attack amid reports his wife wants "nothing to do with him".

According to 7News, his estranged spouse Venera Akram has signed his body over to the government for a destitute burial.

Ms Akram also claims the killer was homeless in the months before the Bondi attack and was moving between Airbnbs across Sydney's southwest.


ABC backs star journalist’s controversial remarks on Bondi massacre
In the wake of the attack, AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett stated the alleged terrorists were “inspired by Islamic State”, while NSW Police allege Naveed murdered people and injured others to "advance a religious cause".

Tingle and host Patricia Karvelas were discussing the attack on ABC’s ‘Politics Now’ podcast on December 16 when Tingle made the extraordinary claim contradicting officials.

“We should be very clear that terrorists, which is what these two men were,” Karvelas said, before she was interrupted by Tingle, who said, “got nothing to do with religion”, referring to the actions of the alleged gunmen.

Karvelas continued, “And absolutely are radicalised, these were, they were targeting Jews, it is antisemitic. But we are ascribing all sorts of things, right?”

“Their actions are not based on their religion,” Tingle then said.

ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks in a statement has since defended Tingle over the comments, calling criticism directed at her “unfounded”.

“(Tingle’s) analysis and the program in no way sought to minimise the terrorist nature of these horrific events, or the needs for Australia to combat antisemitism, or the rights of Jewish people to feel safe,” his statement on Monday statement read.

Marks also referred to criticism of ABC journalist Sarah Ferguson over her line of questioning during former treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s appearance on the broadcaster’s 7.30 program on December 17.

“The ABC has reviewed both comments and the programs in question and believes that the criticisms made are unfounded,” his statement said.


Iranian military chief claims Israel plotted Bondi massacre to build sympathy as 'victims'
Iranian military chief Maj.-Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi claimed that Israel plotted the Bondi Beach terror attack last week as a "false flag" in order to build sympathy as "victims of antisemitism" during a speech at a military ceremony on Sunday.

The "Zionist regime... assassinated the Jewish community and its dependents in other countries to make them look like victims," Mousavi accused. "This is not their first time, and they have committed such crimes many times."

"In the last few days, the Zionist regime has committed suicide to prevent reverse migration, to save itself from internal turmoil, and to instill antisemitism," he added.

Mousavi also alleged that the time since the Israel-Hamas War began has "proven to the world the criminal nature of the US and Zionist regime," adding that "Our enemies are treaty-breakers, warmongers, and deceivers, and do not adhere to any international law or humanitarian norms."

The military chief, in a separate statement on Sunday, also referred to Iran's need to enhance its air defense capabilities, stating that this is one of the country's priorities, state media outlet IRNA reported.


'Trump Is Splitting The West and The Jihadis Know It!' | Bernard-Henri Lévy
In this episode of The Brink, we’re joined by French philosopher, writer, and public intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy for a wide ranging conversation about the fate of the West, the wars in Ukraine and Israel, and the values now under threat across liberal democracies.

Bernard explains why Ukraine and Israel are fighting the same battle against the same enemies, and why Russia, Iran, Hamas, and radical Islam belong to a single ideological axis. Drawing on years spent on the battlefield and reporting from war zones, he reflects on courage, sacrifice, and what it means for a nation to defend itself when its very existence is at stake.

The discussion turns to the West itself, its Judeo Christian foundations, the crisis of patriotism, and the loss of historical memory that has left many societies unwilling to defend their own values. We explore the rise of radical Islam, the failures of multiculturalism, the dangers of moral relativism, and why Jews are often the first victims when civilisations lose confidence in themselves.

Bernard also reflects on Donald Trump, the fragmentation of the West, and whether American and European values can survive the political turbulence of the coming years.

This is a profound and searching conversation about history, faith, war, and the moral courage required to defend civilisation before it is too late.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
08:24 Trump's Support for Israel and Russia's Aggression
11:03 The West's Values and Trump's Impact
15:33 The Role of the West in Countering Radicalism
19:30 The West's Military Challenge and Israel's Resilience
25:04 The Struggle Against Radical Islam in France
38:23 The Role of Ideas and the Importance of Universal Values


Call me Back Podcast: The Trump Doctrine - with Walter Russell Mead
Our guest today is Walter Russell Mead, an author, academic, and foreign policy expert. Walter is a Professor of Strategy and Statesmanship at the University of Florida’s Hamilton Center, a Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. He and Dan unpacked the Trump administration’s approach to several foreign policy issues, from Russia-Ukraine, to China, to the Middle East. They also discussed Israel’s strategic position in the region following October 7th and its two year, multi-front war.


Information War: Media Manipulation versus the Truth with Ashley Rindsberg
For many people, a story isn’t real until it appears in The New York Times and the BBC, or verified by Wikipedia. So what happens when these two foundational pillars of the information space are corrupted by ideology, manipulation, and bias? Ashley Rindsberg is the author of The Grey Lady Winked.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
02:00 Wikipedia as a Pillar of Information
06:22 The Evolution of Wikipedia
09:20 Bias and Manipulation in Wikipedia
12:19 Investigating Wikipedia's Editorial Practices
17:56 The Influence of Hamas on Wikipedia
20:56 Anonymity and Power Dynamics in Wikipedia
23:46 The Role of Media in Shaping Narratives
27:20 The Crisis of Credibility in Journalism
31:43 Conclusion: The Future of Information Integrity
38:04 The Power of Knowledge and Media Influence
38:30 The Changing Landscape of Media
39:26 The Impact of Wikipedia on Public Perception
40:46 The Role of Journalism in Shaping Narratives
42:40 The Consequences of Media Framing
44:09 The Information War and Its Implications
48:12 The Dynamics of the Information War
51:23 The Role of Corporations in Spreading Ideologies
55:54 The Nature of Antisemitism and Propaganda
01:00:53 The Challenges of Truth in the Information Age
01:05:00 Israel's Struggle in the Information War


Hugh Hewitt: Is Israel at a political crossroads?

Alleged Hamas Front Group Opens Registration for Wikipedia Editing Training Course
The Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, identified by watchdog groups and the Israeli government as a Hamas front organization, officially opened registration for a training course teaching participants how to edit Wikipedia articles about the Israel-Hamas War, Jewish Onliner has learned. The program comes amid growing congressional scrutiny of Wikipedia’s vulnerability to foreign manipulation and coordinated campaigns to inject anti-Israel bias into the platform.

Training Program Returns After Four-Year Hiatus
EuroMed has opened registration for its third “WikiRights” training course, specifically designed to teach participants how to “enrich Wikipedia with the narratives of Gaza genocide victims.” The last training course took place in 2021, over four years ago. This upcoming program offers comprehensive instruction on Wikipedia’s rules, policies, and editing standards, with a particular focus on documenting what the organization calls “Israel’s genocide against civilians since October 2023.”

The training is free and targets participants in the Palestinian territories, covering “Wikipedia in conflict areas,” methods for “inclusion of victims of violations,” and hands-on training in account creation and article editing.

Applications are being accepted through December 31, 2025, with training sessions scheduled to begin in January. Illustration of EuroMed’s Wikipedia Operation

Documented Ties to Hamas Leadership
EuroMed is regarded as a Hamas front group by multiple watchdog organizations and the Israeli government. The group’s founder and current chairman, Ramy Abdu, along with former chairman Dr. Mazen Kahel, were both named in a 2013 Israeli government list identifying Hamas operatives and affiliated institutions in Europe. Honest Reporting has explicitly described EuroMed as a “Hamas front org.”

Abdu’s personal connections deepen these concerns. In March 2025, he inadvertently disclosed that he is the brother-in-law of deceased senior Hamas official Muhammad Daoud Ismail al-Jamassi. He has also publicly stated he is childhood friends with Assad Abu Sharia, allegedly the founder and leader of the Mujahideen Brigades, a Hamas-affiliated terrorist group that played a key role in kidnapping the Bibas children during the October 7th massacre.

EuroMed serves as the parent organization for the We Are Not Numbers (WANN) writing project, which is registered in Gaza under EuroMed’s umbrella. The project’s co-founder, Ahmed Alnaouq, also serves as EuroMed’s Outreach and Advocacy Officer.


Nicole Lampert: The pro-Gaza hunger strike is dangerous martyrdom masquerading as virtue
It feels similar to those “pro Palestine” advocates who keep pushing for more war, more “resistance” for the continuation of the “intifada” as if constantly starting wars with one of the most powerful armies in the world is ever going to result in anything other than humiliation and further loss of people and land.

Speaking via a friend from prison to Dazed magazine, Zuhrah, the youngest and most photogenic of the hunger strikers, appears to genuinely think she is making a difference: “With the hunger strike,” she say, “we are forcing the state to look us in our eyes and recognise the life within us that we have been denied, the same entities that deny the Palestinian people their right to life.”

But the hunger strike does nothing for the Palestinian cause other than remind us how extreme some of their supporters have become.

The outlandish demands of the hunger strikers – which include being given immediate bail, the deproscription of Palestine Action and for arms manufacturer Elbit to be thrown out of the UK – will never be met.

And if the British government were to give in to this sort of blackmail every time they had someone in their prison, there would be even more dangerous people walking our streets.

Academic Gaad Saad has coined the phrase “suicidal empathy”, in which excessive compassion undermines societal cohesion. These are the heartstrings these hunger strikers are attempting to yank on. But the British public doesn’t have much empathy for a group such as Palestine Action.

Instead of egging on this dangerous martyrdom, the most empathetic of their supporters – the ones who think they are good people – should now be demanding that these young men and women stop putting themselves in danger.


Doctor arrested over alleged antisemitic posts released on bail with social-media condition
A British doctor has been arrested and released on bail over alleged antisemitic social-media posts, with conditions imposed restricting her online activity.

Ellen Kriesels, a UK-based doctor, confirmed in a public statement that she had been arrested and later released on bail. She said the conditions include a prohibition on posting content alleged to “stir up racial hatred”.

Supporters of Kriesels, including campaign group HCWs Against Censorship, claimed in online statements that the arrest was unnecessary and said police could instead have sought a voluntary interview. They argued that posts reported to police in August had previously been assessed, with no further action taken at the time, according to supporters.




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