It’s not enough to be a bog-standard mass-shooter, these days: ya gotta have an angle. From Anders Breivik and Brenton Tarrant, to Audrey Hale, no self-respecting nutcase on a death trip goes without a ‘manifesto’. Would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh really upped the ante, though, with a whole book.
As the Western world spirals into a cycle of violence not seen since the late ’60s/early ’70s, few of its perpetrators are exactly lurking under rocks. They’re not even hiding in plain sight: they’re right out there, literally and metaphorically, telling anyone who’ll listen exactly what they want to do.
What are the lessons for Australia? For 10 months I have been writing in these pages that our government is stupidly tolerating the rise of left progressive extremism under the guise of a Hamas cover-story, the pro-Palestinian movement.
It’s hardly even a ‘guise’. Again, these people are saying right out loud what they want: a world ‘cleansed’ of Jews.
Don’t take my word for it: they’ll tell you.
One of Melbourne’s most prominent pro-Palestinian activists, who once glorified martyrdom and hailed Hamas as “freedom fighters”, leads a thriving company in Australia that is engaged in large government and private-sector projects.
Ihab Al Azhari was born in Jordan in a refugee camp known as Al-Wehdat. It was one of four refugee camps set up by UNRWA to accommodate Palestine refugees who left Mandatory Palestine following the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
Almost daily, he holds the Palestinian flag and a banner calling for an end to the bloodshed in Gaza.
Well, not exactly. He clearly relishes bloodshed in Gaza – so long as it’s Jews doing the bleeding.
In February this year, Mr Al Azhari called Hamas terrorists freedom fighters and was filmed saying there would be repeated attacks on Israel, in a heated argument between him and a Jewish woman speaking on the conflict.
“The only woman and children being killed were on the 7th of October when Hamas came in to terrorise, mutilate and massacre people,” the woman known as Sharon told Mr Al Azhari.
He replied: “We’re going to do it more and more ... to terrorise you and get you out of my country, as soon as possible. Until I get my mum’s town back.
“The beginning was on the 7th of October, that’s the bloody beginning. You’re going to have plenty of 7 October (attacks) happening, plenty of it, and the next 7th October is going to be to kick your ass out.”
He also exemplifies the old adage about Arabs hating Jews more than they love their own children.
In another instance, Mr Al Azhari celebrated martyrdom in the name of Palestine during a street protest in Melbourne.
With police nearby, he said Palestinian families celebrated the martyrdom by bringing offerings to the mother. “It is great (when) every single martyr died, they go to their houses with a sweet,” he told the gathering. “And they chant to his mother ‘You are very lucky … I wish my mum (is) in your place’.
What a charmer.
Is Australia really any better for having given this violent cretin a safe haven?
Well, I guess we know now why no Middle Eastern country is willing to open its borders to Palestinians any more.
