Guest Post (Kay Wilson): Some Thoughts On The Sydney Siege

For what it’s worth a few thoughts about the Sydney Siege. For the record, like every decent human being, I too am horrified. What is of interest to me, though, is the western media nuances used in the Sydney siege juxtaposed to those used concerning terrorism in Israel. The fallout of the reaction to the terror attack and it’s implications on Israel are yet to be seen.

1. I did not read that it was a “seeming” or “apparent,” attack.
2. I did not read “Man shot by Australian police in a cafe.”
3. I did not read people were “killed” I read people were “murdered.”
4. I did not read “Militants kill Australians,” I read “terrorists murder ordinary people just going about their business.”
5. I read about two heroes (which may be true) yet I have never read about an Israeli hero.
6. And then of course there were three days of 24/7 coverage….
7. I read about a lone wolf which decontextualised the collective agenda of radical and global Islam. A lone wolf can never be an obstacle for peace, so the logic is that all terrorists are only lone wolves; which implies that Palestinian terrorists act on heir own accord and are not a product of the institutionalised incitement of the PA. The lone wolf lie puts the onus, responsibility and failure of peace entirely upon Israel.

As you know, I have many wonderful, courageous Muslim friends, so I feel free to speak my mind and without fear that I will be deemed a racist. So here goes…

1. I read about a social media campaign called ?#?IllRideWithYou? – an initiative in which Australia’s Muslims felt it proper to join on the pretext that they were frightened of a rise in Islamophobia. No one should ever desire an attack on innocent people and racism should always be contested, yet this would not be the first time people scream “Islamophobia” following murder by Islamists. Islamophobia is in itself a term invented by the Muslim community post 9-11. I myself suffer from Islamistophobia not Islamophobia. To ease their fears however, I would like to tell them that in Israel, I could count on two fingers the murderous terroristic attacks perpetrated by Jews towards innocent Muslims following thousands and thousands of terror attacks. Thank G-d it shows that although imperfect, we are a moral people. Likewise in the UK, following 7/7 there was not one attack on an innocent Muslim. I pray that it stays that way and will do my part to make sure that it does.
2. I did not expect that the primary response of these Muslims would be a campaign to squash Islamophobia. Instead I expected to first hear sympathy for the victims and simultaneously, revulsion and horror that something so heinous has evolved from their Islam.
3. I wanted to hear these people condemning Islamism from every Australian mosque and demanding reforms from within.
4. I wanted to see them lobbying western governments with their fellow Australian citizens – demanding that the law deals harshly with those who incite and commit evil deeds in the name of free speech, religion and democracy. Surely to do all this would be the very thing needed to strengthen a multi-cultural democracy and rid any concerns of Islamophobia
5. Instead, I saw these people turning the attention onto themselves and in doing so hoodwinking the west as to the evils of the extremes within their own religion and blinding them to the threat that it is to the west, Israel and humanity worldwide. And all of this on a day where the EU stand poised to remove Hamas from their list of terror organisations.

Kay Wilson is a British-born Israeli tour guide, jazz musician and cartoonist. She is the survivor of a brutal terror attack. Since the attack she is a public speaker for StandWithUs and OneFamily Together. Kay is currently campaigning to be given a chance to speak at J-Street’s next conference: visit her Facebook page for details.