The deadly terrorist attack targeting a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Australia's iconic Bondi Beach serves as a stark and urgent warning for Canada, where a parallel surge in antisemitic hatred has created a perilous environment.
A Global Surge in Antisemitism Hits Home
The assault, carried out by an ISIS-linked father and son, had a singular, hateful purpose: to kill Jews. Authorities confirm the attack was not connected to the Israel-Gaza conflict or geopolitical grievances, but was pure antisemitic terrorism. This act of violence was enabled by a failure to confront a global epidemic of Jew hatred that has exploded since Hamas's October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel.
The situation in Canada is alarmingly similar. According to the latest annual audit by B'nai Brith, antisemitic incidents across the country—including harassment, vandalism, and violence—skyrocketed by 125% in a single year. The audit recorded 6,219 incidents last year, compared to 2,769 in 2022. This is the highest number documented since the audit began over four decades ago in 1982.
Canada's Disturbing Reality: Statistics and Threats
This trend is corroborated by official data from Statistics Canada, which reveals a shocking disparity. While Jewish Canadians constitute approximately 1% of the population, they are the targets of 70% of all religiously motivated hate crimes reported in the country. The daily reality for Jewish communities includes mezuzahs being ripped from doorways, shots fired at Jewish day schools, threats against university students, and hateful marches through Jewish neighbourhoods.
"This is about terrorizing Jews," the editorial states, emphasizing that the climate of intimidation is a clear precursor to violence. Despite this, law enforcement is often perceived as failing to apply hate crime laws with the necessary vigour, allowing perpetrators to act with a sense of impunity.
Political Responses Criticized as Inadequate
While politicians at all levels routinely issue condemnations of antisemitism, these statements are dismissed as "predictable, pious proclamations" that are meaningless without concrete action. Critics argue that the problem is exacerbated when hate laws are not enforced and when political decisions are seen as rewarding terrorism.
A specific point of contention highlighted is Prime Minister Mark Carney's move to recognize Palestinian statehood before Canada's stated conditions were met, including the disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from governance. The editorial argues that "rewarding terrorism is not the way to fight terrorism" and instead emboldens those who harbour anti-Jewish hatred.
The attack in Australia also underscored that standing against antisemitism is not synonymous with anti-Muslim sentiment. During the Bondi Beach assault, it was a Syrian-born Muslim father, Ahmed al-Ahmed, who was wounded while heroically tackling and disarming one of the terrorists.
For now, Canada has been spared a tragedy on the scale of Bondi Beach. However, with antisemitic rhetoric and incidents at record highs and a perceived lack of decisive governmental action, experts warn that all the conditions for a similar horror are present. The call is clear: Canada must move beyond words and take substantive steps to protect its Jewish citizens and combat the ideology that fuels such attacks before it is too late.
