Media Releases

Media Release

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council mourns the four victims of the murderous attack at Tel Aviv’s Sarona Market on Wednesday 8 June and joins prayers for the full and speedy recovery of the wounded.

We condemn in the strongest terms this senseless act of terror against innocent victims who were simply dining at a cafe – murdered merely because they were Israeli Jews. We condemn the apparent involvement of Hamas in this attack and their ongoing efforts to organise and encourage terrorist violence, but remind all people of good will that incitement in the official Palestinian Authority (PA) media also likely contributed to inspiring this heinous attack.

It is worth remembering, following the last major terror attacks, in Tel Aviv on March 8, and the bus bombing in Jerusalem on April 18, that the perpetrators were repeatedly represented in Palestinian media and by representatives of PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah Party as “martyrs” and heroes. 

The sort of violence that we witnessed this week – and the incitement which breeds it – are amongst the most important reasons that genuine Israeli-Palestinian co-existence and progress towards peace remain so elusive.