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A Tale of Two Sydney Headlines.

Let me show you two headlines from today’s newspapers that, when placed side by side, read less like journalism and more like a civilisation arguing with itself while the smoke alarm is going off.

Here’s the first one, from yesterday’s Australian newspaper.

Islamic State Urges Followers to Copy Bondi Shooters in New Propaganda

The terror group’s latest newsletter – produced in Afghanistan, because if you’re going to publish instructions for global murder, you may as well do it from a jurisdiction with limited interest in your editorial standards – carries an article with the cheerful little headline:

“The Sydney Attack – Revenge of the Oppressed Ummah”

It goes on to describe the two men who allegedly committed the Bondi terror attack as “brave lions”.

And it says the Bondi shooting – in which 15 Australians were shot dead for being Jewish – was not a sin, but a template. A handy “how-to guide” for Muslims who are serious about the intifada.

ISIS Turns Bondi Into a Blueprint

The ISIS newsletter said that the Bondi attack demonstrated to Muslims across the globe,

“ … that the path to salvation and the honour of Islam lies precisely in the way adopted by the attackers”.

As for any Muslims who might feel unease at the concept of civilians being shot in the street, ISIS has a classification for them, too. They are, apparently, “shameful”.

And just in case anyone thought there might be moral ambiguity in the system, the article helpfully clarifies,

“there is no such thing as a non-combatant Kafir” (non-believer).

Good to know.

The ISIS article goes on like this for seven pages. I’m just bringing you the highlights.

It says:

“The Sydney attack was only a pebble from a mountain; we will continue to kill, by the permission of Allah, until you grow weary of burying the dead.”

If I didn’t know better, I’d say this stuff was written by people who’d consumed too many energy drinks and not nearly enough civilisation.

But, as we very well know, these Islamic extremists are deadly serious.

They go on to say,

“For the liberation of (Jerusalem) begin with the Kafir and apostates closest to you, for they are the ones who prevent you from killing the Jews and liberating Jerusalem. Support the Islamic State in this great jihad cause.”

The Slogan That Says It All

Now, if you were tasked with compressing all of that into a modern slogan – something punchy, shareable, suitable for signage or chanting at a march – you’d struggle to beat:

“Globalise the Intifada.”

I mean, that’s what ISIS is calling for.

If you want to liberate Jerusalem, which is a polite way of saying kill all the Jews, you’ve got to begin where you are.

This has always been Islamic State’s call.

Australian terror experts have said they believe the men who allegedly committed the Bondi terror attack were inspired by a 2024 ISIS speech titled, “And Kill Them Wherever You Find Them”.

Which does sound like a globalised uprising. Does it not?

Now hold that thought.

Because while Islamic State is urging Muslims to repeat the Sydney massacre, here in Sydney, we’re debating whether using public buildings to chant “globalise the intifada” is… maybe a little unwise?

A Council Hall for the Cause

Which brings us to the second headline, from yesterday’s Daily Telegraph:

Politicians refuse to intervene to stop ‘globalise the intifada’ forum at City of Sydney venue

The City of Sydney is making available a council-owned building so that Pro-Palestine supporters can gather to demand the right to chant “globalise the intifada”.

In fact, the event is called “Why it’s Right to Say Globalise the Intifada”

Now, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore is a lot brighter than me. I mean, I would never have thought of turning half the CBD into bike lanes in order to improve traffic flow. But she did. So she’s clearly no dill.

But just go with me for a moment here.

Does it not occur to Clover Moore that when Islamic State is openly calling for Muslims to kill Jews and their supporters “wherever you are”…

And when we already have an example of two Muslims allegedly responding to that call right here in Sydney just a few months ago…

Is it not the height of stupidity to encourage an already Muslim community and their supporters to chant for more globalised uprising against Jews?

Now I understand that 99.999999 percent of people chanting globalise the intifada would NEVER commit a terrorist act.

But as those who lost mothers and fathers and children and partners at Bondi will testify through tears… it only takes one, or two.

Maybe Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig could step in here

I mean, surely local government buildings should not be used for events like this.

Well, a spokesperson for the Local Government Minister said it was all a matter for the City of Sydney, which begs the question:

What’s the point of a local government minister if he has nothing to say about local government platforming messages that could be interpreted by some to sound, you know, a little bit ISIS-ee.

The Premier, Chris Minns, when invited to lean across the void and gently suggest restraint, declined with refreshing honesty.

He told The Daily Telegraph,

“I’m not gonna do that, because the chances of her listening to me are zero.”

Governed by Press Release

What about the PM?

Does he not sense the danger?

A spokesman for Anthony Albanese told The Telegraph,

“The government has made our position clear on this by passing the toughest ever hate crime laws”.

Which, translated, means: we have legislated extensively and hope the problem resolves itself through paperwork.

So we are left, as ever, with a familiar arrangement:

One part of the world producing explicit calls for violence, another part debating whether the words describing those calls might be offensive, and a third part assuring us everything is under control because a press release exists somewhere in a filing cabinet.

And somewhere between those three layers sits you and me… sleeping with one eye open and wondering how the hell our country became so incredibly stupid.

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Republished with thanks to The James Macpherson Report. Image courtesy of Adobe.