Social media users wished a victim of the Bondi Beach terror attack to « rest in hell » in a twisted celebration following the murder of a rabbi. Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, was killed in yesterday’s attack at Bondi Beach. The London-born man was an assistant rabbi at Chabad Bondi, a Jewish organisation that was hosting a Hanukkah event on Sunday when two gunmen targeted the celebration.
Following the terrorist attack, some people took to social media to comment on the victims’ pasts. Just hours after his death, Schlanger – who organised the celebrations – was described by some accounts online as a « Zionist who visited and supported Israeli soldiers during the Gaza genocide. »
Under the Instagram post, which announced Schlagner’s death with that headline, users commented with fire emojis or clapping hands. Other users commented « He met his end at the hands of one of his own », « Alhamdulillah beautiful news » « HAHAHAHA HAPPY NEW YEAR » or « REST IN HELL ».
The post was shared by @doamuslims, a social media account with the bio « Documenting Oppression Against Muslims
Independent Organisation ».
Yet many members of the Muslim community have expressed solidarity with the victims of the attack with heartfelt tributes. A viral Instagram video that also appears on the Chabad account shows a Muslim man offering his condolences to a rabbi, culminating in an emotional embrace.
In an interview with CBS News, a Muslim witness of the attack said: « I feel very sad for the Jewish community. I feel very sad for them after what happened on the 7th of October. And as a Muslim, I’m also sad because some people are going to think that Muslims are like that, that Muslims kill people, and we didn’t do anything. We don’t have nothing to do with that. No one is supposed to kill anyone. »
A Muslim man Ahmed al-Ahmed is being hailed as a hero after tackling one of the gunmen, stopping a deadly attack and saving lives.
Australia, a country of 28 million people, is home to about 117,000 Jews. Worldwide, Australia and Italy experienced the biggest increase in antisemitic attacks in 2024, according to Uriya Shavit, who oversees an annual report about global antisemitism from Tel Aviv University.
The numbers in these two countries rose, while worldwide, there was a slight decline in antisemitic attacks. Australia recorded 1,713 antisemitic incidents, PBS reported.
Islamophobic incidents in Australia have doubled over the past two years, according to research by the Islamophobia Register and Deakin and Monash universities.
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