GOLDSTEIN: Explosion of anti-Semitism is the canary in the coal mine

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History teaches us that when anti-Semitism isn’t confronted, Jews won’t be the only victims.

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They’ll be the first victims, but the hatred will metastasize and spread to others.

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This points to the fundamental failure of political will in Canada – at every level of government – from the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct 7.

The failure by vote-counting politicians to act forcefully before Jew hatred exploded to a level not seen in Canada for decades.

To illustrate the enormity of the threat, consider the hate-filled rant of Islamic State spokesman Abu Huthaifa al-Ansari last week calling for attacks on Jews around the world, to “kill them wherever you find them.”

In a 67-minute recording released by the media arm of the central command of ISIS, translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), al-Ansari called for attacks on Jews world-wide as an act of vengeance for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’ terrorist attack.

“Blow them up with explosives, burn them with incendiary bombs, shoot them with bullets, slaughter their necks with knives, and run them over with buses” al-Ansari advised.

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He said there are no good Jews, anywhere, no distinction between civilian and military targets, and that it doesn’t matter what any Jew thinks about creating a Palestinian state, because “the war with the Jews will not end in a one-state solution or two-state solution” or through any international agreement.

This is red meat to those in Canada “protesting” against Israel by firebombing Jewish gathering places, shooting bullets at Jewish schools, torching and vandalizing Jewish-owned businesses, painting Swastikas on synagogues and Jewish homes and targeting, intimidating and threatening Jewish communities.

This is classic anti-Semitism – holding Jews in Canada, responsible for the actions of the Israeli government, the equivalent of holding all Muslims responsible for Hamas.

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But here’s the thing. ISIS’ call for a global reign of terror isn’t only aimed at Jews.

“We call upon you today to renew your activity and revive your blessed operations in the heart of the homes of Jews and Christians,” al-Ansari said.

“O lions of Islam, chase your prey from Jew, Christians and their allies, in the streets and the roads of America, Europe, and the world. Raid their homes, kill them, and torture them by every means you can … Aim for an easy target before the difficult ones, and for civilian targets before military ones, and religious sites such as synagogues and churches, before anything else …

“Because words must be accompanied by actions … the Islamic State is mobilizing its soldiers, especially Muslims who are eager to support the oppressed in general, to target the Jews and Crusaders and their criminal allies, above every land and under every sky …

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“We emphasize that the battle with the Jews today is in fact a battle with their allies more than the Jews themselves … Therefore the solution lies in fighting these people … all of them, as they unite and ally themselves together against Muslims. It is the duty of Muslims to unite and fight them in response to Allah’s commands.”

Of course, ISIS, a Sunni terrorist organization, doesn’t stop at calling for the deaths of Jews, Christians and other non-believers.

Its main target globally is Muslims.

ISIS regularly calls for, and murders Shia Muslims, whom it regards as apostates, last week claiming responsibility for two suicide bombings in Iran that killed 84 people during a memorial service at the grave site of Revolutionary Guards General Qassem Soleimani, assassinated four years ago by a U.S. drone strike.

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It also condemns Egypt and Jordan for signing peace treaties with Israel and even considers Hamas itself to be an enemy of Islam.

That’s because Hamas accepts funding from Shia-led Iran and because, according to ISIS, its goal is a Palestinian state recognized by the international community, as opposed to one obedient to the rule of Allah, as defined by ISIS.

The hatred that fuels ISIS is the mirror image of the hatred that fuelled Nathaniel Veltman, the 22-year-old white supremacist who murdered four members of a Muslim family on a summer evening in June 2021, in London, Ont., severely injuring a nine-year old boy and leaving him an orphan, by driving his pick-up truck into them.

He too, wanted to “send a message” – this one to kill Muslims – illustrating that once it’s out of the bottle, that hatred can target anyone, anywhere, at any time.

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