Culpability in a culture of hate

Elias Rodriguez may have pulled the trigger on the gun that killed Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim in Washington, DC last week, but he is not the only one with their blood on his hands.

Since and even before October 7, 2023, we have seen Israel, Israelis and Zionists demonised and dehumanised – even in death. We have witnessed Hamas propaganda amplified as fact by media outlets who should know better.

We have had members of our own community here in Australia harassed, doxxed and assaulted purely on the basis of being proud Jews who believe in the State of Israel’s right to exist. We’ve had a synagogue and the former home of a Jewish leader firebombed.

We have heard politicians who ought to give more thought to the power of their words employ at best, harmful and careless throwaway soundbites that exclude context and at worst, vile slanders about Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

And it all has been seemingly validated by a hapless United Nations, still looked to – erroneously – as a beacon of moral humanity, rather than the shambolic political weapon of dictatorships it has become.