https://arab.news/wgx89
- Rally in Sydney followed by car letting off fireworks condemned by politicians, Jewish leaders
- Australian imam group calls for 鈥榗essation鈥� of violence, siege of Gaza
LONDON: Australia鈥檚 Jewish community has criticized pro-Palestinian celebrations in Sydney after Saturday鈥檚 Hamas attack on Israel.
Hundreds of people attended a rally in the Lakemba area, at which police said attendees 鈥渃omplied with all police directions and no significant issues arose, with no arrests made.鈥�
Footage of green and red fireworks set off from a car waving Palestinian flags in the city鈥檚 Greenacre district on Saturday evening emerged the same day.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there was 鈥渘othing to celebrate by the murder of innocent civilians going about their day.鈥�
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said: 鈥淭he targeting of civilians and the taking of hostages is never a cause for celebrations.鈥�
Robert Gregory, CEO of the Australian Jewish Association, said of the events in Sydney: 鈥淚t is distressing that there are monsters living amongst us and we expect the Muslim community to condemn the actions.
鈥淚n this situation you can either be on the side of evil or on the side of good and we urge the authorities to look at whether there are any charges to be laid and for those people to be deported. They are clearly not fit to be in Australia.鈥�
Mark Speakman, leader of the opposition in New South Wales, said Sydney鈥檚 Jewish community need to be made to feel safe.
鈥淚t was disappointing to see overnight people celebrating brutality 鈥� (There is) never an excuse for attacking civilians, let alone for celebrating that attack,鈥� Speakman added.
Maha Abdo, CEO of Muslim Women Australia, said: 鈥淭here is a lot of trauma, anxiety and fear. Loss of life on all sides is just not right. It hurts, and the pain of course increases over the years of oppression.
鈥淲e need to recognize that pain, but two wrongs don鈥檛 make a right. There is no win-win here. Let鈥檚 bring on an avalanche of peace. Let鈥檚 wage peace, not war.鈥�
The Australian National Imams Council said it 鈥渟upports the Palestinian people鈥檚 right for self-determination,鈥� calling for 鈥渁 cessation of the Israeli offensive on Gaza and end the siege on Gaza.鈥�