Conflict’s Dangerous Spillover

As Israel’s war in Gaza continues, antisemitism is rising across Western democracies, with attacks like Bondi Beach showing how anger at Israel increasingly targets Fewish communities worldwide

- ASIF ULLAH KHAN

Wars end on battlefields, but hatred lingers on streets far away

Thomas Friedman in his The New York Times column “This Israeli Government Is a Danger to Jews Everywhere,” had warned that the way Israel is fighting the war in Gaza under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could endanger Jews globally — not because Jews themselves are to blame, but because Israel’s government actions might fuel backlash and rising antisemitism abroad, and could ultimately transform Israel from a source of pride into a “pariah state”.

‘The deadly shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach, which killed more than 15 people, stands as a grim reminder of Friedman's warning. Officials said the attack was “designed to target” the Jewish community while it was celebrating the first day of Hanukkah. The violence underscored how rapidly antisemitism is spreading across societies once considered safe havens for Jews. Australia, long viewed as a secure refuge, now finds itself confronting a reality few imagined possible just a few years ago.