(WND) — The Hanukkah terror attack in Sydney, Australia, leaving at least 12 dead and dozens wounded this weekend is bringing renewed focus on calls to “globalize the intifada” with more anti-Semitic attacks.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement Sunday, saying: “The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Australia targeting a Jewish celebration.
“Antisemitism has no place in this world. Our prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack, the Jewish community, and the people of Australia.”
Meanwhile, Ellie Cohanim, former U.S. deputy envoy to combat anti-Semitism, told Fox News: “This what globalize the intifada means. We are all witnessing what, for two years, have been allowed to run rampant by too many governments around the world, in particular the Australian government which has really allowed anti-Semitism to fester on its soil.
“And the end result is exactly what we’re seeing today which is a terror attack on Jews celebrating the holiday of Hanukkah and so many civilians left dead in a mass-casualty event. All of this could be avoided if the Australian government had made it loud and clear from the outset immediately after the October 7th attack on Israel which is that it’s not open season on the Jews. Anti-Semitism will not be tolerated. That they won’t allow intifada to be globalized onto Australian soil.
“And it’s incredibly important for our viewers to understand that when for all these leftists governments for the last two years, the Biden administration, the United States, when they allow these calls for jihad to spread, when they demonize Israel and Jews all around the world, this is end result is that Jewish blood gets spilled.
“And I want to say that I am grateful to Secretary Rubio for his immediate statement that he put out in sympathy with the local Australian community in condemning this terror attack. I hope that Secretary Rubio will have a tough phone call with his Australian counterpart demanding changes in the government’s policies there to now hold the terror groups on their soil accountable and to now have policies instituted that actually protect their local Jewish community.”
Cohanim explained: “The entire point is to make it impossible for Jews to be Jewish, to celebrate our holidays, to celebrate Judaism. Something similar happened in the United States in California this weekend where a Jewish home that was decorated for Hanukkah just like many people will decorate homes for Christmas, that house was shot up with 20 bullets. So it’s really important for all of us here in the United States to understand that again these calls for globalizing the intifada, the demonization of Israel and Jews has led to the point where I know that there are Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremonies all across America tonight and the next eight days and people are going to be scared.
“Your Jewish neighbors are going to be really worried about whether there will be copycat attacks, whether we can continue to be Jewish publicly, whether we can celebrate our holidays publicly. And so that’s why it’s incredibly important for all of our government officials to be clear-sighted and to be loud right now about the fact that they do stand with Jewish community, that we will not tolerate anti-Semitism anywhere in the world, and the Jewish Americans who for sure are really scared about whether they can be publicly Jewish in Australia, in California and New York.”
She blamed mass migration of Muslims across the world for the recent attacks.
“People are indoctrinated from birth to hate Jews and often to hate Christians,” Cohanim said. “Ultimately what happens is that you’re importing into your own shores people with hateful ideologies.”
“The trend lines are not good and only getting worse,” she added. The Trump administration is taking really strong actions to just combat anti-Semitism.”
“Every society that allows anti-Semitism to flourish eventually self-destructs.
“And it is in our own self interest to take every aggressive action … to stop the anti-Semitism that has been allowed to flourish since Oct. 7 on their shores.”
