Abd al-Bari Atwan, editor of the Al-Rayaam newspaper, whose offices are based in London, is promoting a conspiracy theory alleging Israeli involvement in the terrorist attack in Sydney, Australia, in which 16 people were murdered and 40 were wounded during an event marking the holiday of Hanukkah.
In an editorial, Atwan wrote that it cannot be ruled out that the attack was a deliberate Israeli operation as part of a new strategy aimed at improving Israel’s image, portraying it as a victim, and reviving what he described as the “false” discourse surrounding antisemitism, following damage to Israel’s image due to the war in the Gaza Strip.
Atwan further claimed that beyond this, the most significant factor was punishing Australia for recognizing a Palestinian state. Atwan, a British journalist of Palestinian origin known for his support of “resistance” organizations, also stated that Zionism is the greatest enemy of Judaism and the most antisemitic movement.
He added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “exposed himself and his possible suspicious role in this attack, directly or indirectly, when he accused the Australian prime minister and his government of fueling antisemitism in their country after recognizing the Palestinian state and supporting a two-state solution, and by placing responsibility for the attack on them.”
Atwan repeated the antisemitic claim that “the Zionist movement cooperated with the Nazis in the murder of the Jews, so why should we be surprised by the possibility that they are behind this attack in Sydney or in other Western cities, while pointing the accusing finger at Arabs and Muslims?”