Australia: Synagogue BAN over Islamic terrorism risk

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You cannot block mosque construction, the incubators, the hatcheries of Muslim terrorists, but you can block a synagogue because it will be a target of Muslim terrorism? The Aussies should block Muslim immigration, not synagogues.

In the era of the the savage, terrorism wins.

This is Australia, not Yemen.

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Bondi synagogue ban over terrorism risk leaves Jewish community shocked and furious

August 3, 2017, News.com (thanks to Kenny):

A LOCAL council has banned the construction of a synagogue in Bondi because it could be a terrorist target, in a shock move that religious leaders say has caved in to Islamic extremism and created a dangerous precedent.

The decision, which has rocked the longstanding Jewish community in the iconic suburb, was upheld in court this week as the nation reeled from the alleged airline terror threat and debate raged over increased security measures at airports and other public places.

The Land and Environment Court backed the decision by Waverley Council to prohibit the construction of the synagogue in Wellington St, Bondi — just a few hundred metres from Australia’s most famous beach — because it was too much of a security risk for users and local residents.

Jewish leaders are shocked the decision appears to suggest they cannot freely practice their religion because they are the target of hate by Islamist extremists — and that the council has used their own risk assessment of the threat posed by IS against it.

The head of the local Jewish community said the council and the court had effectively stifled freedom of religion and rewarded terrorism.

“The decision is unprecedented,” Rabbi Yehoram Ulman told news.com.au.

“Its implications are enormous. It basically implies that no Jewish organisation should be allowed to exist in residential areas. It stands to stifle Jewish existence and activity in Sydney and indeed, by creating a precedent, the whole of Australia, and by extension rewarding terrorism.”

The synagogue is in the heart of Australia’s most iconic suburb and just a few hundred metres from the world famous Bondi Beach. Photo: Dylan Robinson

The synagogue is in the heart of Australia’s most iconic suburb and just a few hundred metres from the world famous Bondi Beach. Photo: Dylan RobinsonSource:News Corp Australia

 NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive Vic Alhadeff told news.com.au he had never heard of any other religious group being denied a place of worship just because they were targeted by outside extremists and that the move was a dangerous precedent.

“It’s a very sad day for Australia if an established community, which needs a house of worship, is refused permission to build it because of fear that others may pose a threat,” he said.

“This simply shows how we’re all losing our freedoms. Those who want us to be afraid are winning, and this ill-conceived judgment represents a dangerous precedent.”

Ironically, the council and the Land and Environment Court appeared to use the proposal’s own risk assessment and security measures in the proposed design — including using setback buildings and blast walls — as evidence the site was too much of a security risk.

Yet in a classic catch-22, the council also said if the design was changed to boost security this would be unacceptable because it would be too unsightly.

“The proposed development should be refused as the site is not suitable for the proposed synagogue use as the Preliminary Threat and Risk Analysis relied on by the Applicant raises concerns as to the safety and security of future users of the Synagogue, nearby residents, motorists and pedestrians in Wellington Street and the physical measures proposed to deal with the identified threats will have an unacceptable impact on the streetscape and adjoining properties.”

An artist’s impression of the synagogue development in Wellington Street, Bondi.

An artist’s impression of the synagogue development in Wellington Street, Bondi.Source:Supplied

The Friends of Refugees from Eastern Europe, the Jewish group that appealed the council decision in the Land and Environment Court, argued the Preliminary Threat and Risk Analysis it commissioned from a terrorism expert did not indicate any risk to local residents or passers-by and was only about the security of those using the synagogue — who were used to the threat of violence.

Its evidence, as summarised by the court decision, was:

“The PTRA concludes nothing more than stating:

• western countries face a security threat, currently primarily from ISIS;

• the threat level in Australia is “probable”;

• Jewish communities across the world are no stranger to the threat of violence and as such will generally take security measures into account when planning, constructing or renovating buildings;

• the CITED design considers “potential possible threats” that are relevant to Australia; and

• the design measures focus on the persons inside the buildings only

“The PTRA does not raise concerns as to the safety and security of future particularly users of the synagogue, nearby residents, motorists; or pedestrians in Wellington Street.”

Rabbi Yehoram Ulman with local MP and now Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2006.

Rabbi Yehoram Ulman with local MP and now Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2006.Source:News Limited

But in the judgment handed down by the Land and Environment Court on Wednesday, Commissioner Graham Brown said the risk assessment was inadequate and upheld the council’s decision.

“It would seem that a more sophisticated risk assessment process could be required for matters such as a potential terrorist threat,” he found.

Rabbi Ulman said the decision “came as surprise and shock to the entire Jewish community” but was even more scathing about the council, warning it had threatened the future of Jewish life in Australia.

“By pulling the terror threat argument they have shown that they are completely out of touch both with the reality and with needs of their constituency,” he told news.com.au.

“They have effectively placed in jeopardy the future of Jewish life in Australia.”

A Waverley Council spokesperson noted the court had supported the council’s position, which was supported by several residents’ concerns.

“The ruling follows Council’s presentation of evidence to the court in support of refusal of the application, based on:

· The proposal does not respond to the context, character and streetscape of the area or provide sufficient residential amenity

· Unacceptable amenity impacts such as adequate solar access, noise and loss of privacy; and

· The site is unsuitable for a synagogue because of the potential risk to users and other members of the general public.

“A number of residents agreed with the contentions raised by the Council and provided additional evidence against the development of the site.”

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caliroxanne
caliroxanne
6 years ago

Islam always wins. Massive plot to blow an Australian commercial jetliner out of the sky, so they ban a synagogue? Airliners are also targets of Muslim terror, so Australia should ban them also?

AlgorithmicAnalystD
AlgorithmicAnalyst
6 years ago
Reply to  caliroxanne

Ban airplanes 🙂

dba_ vagabond_trader
dba_ vagabond_trader
6 years ago
Reply to  caliroxanne

Ban muzz flying with infidels.

caliroxanne
caliroxanne
6 years ago

Just ban muzzies in general.

Dennis
Dennis
6 years ago

Here we have something much more than evidence of anti-Semitism. We have government agencies, judicial leaders and decision makers all acting consistently with anti-Semitism and outright fear of the radical Islamist extremists that have totally frightened this world that we live in. Judaism is not a violent belief system; yet, the neighbors and the leaders are so concerned for their safety, while simultaneously dealing with their own built in anti-Semitism, that they capitulate to the fear of terror, rather than stand up to it. This conduct WILL happen here in the states, unless we begin to show back bone. Today an article appears where SMU University banned a 9/11 memorial, using the reason that it might inflame the Islamist world. Unless we turn against this fearful conduct, we might as well throw away our Constitutional protections.

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago
Reply to  Dennis

Good call, this is nothing more than rationalized antisemitism and is setting a legal precedent for more of it.

Poppey
Poppey
6 years ago

In my view there needs to be a rethink on this about who is the threat and who is the likely victim, because if this PC snowflake cringe goes through, it’s the ” hecklers veto ” with knobs on against innocent potential victims.

AlgorithmicAnalystD
AlgorithmicAnalyst
6 years ago

Send them back to Stupidistan.

Tanya
Tanya
6 years ago

They never ever ban the conversion or construction of Mosques in any local council area here in Sydney.
Planning permission is usually put through in the dead of night or over the holiday periods without any notification to local residents or businesses. One day you have an empty factory, next day you have hundreds of screaming bum lifters taking up car spaces, leaving their rubbish everywhere and intimidating the locals. What do the councils and cops do “NADA”

OverIt
OverIt
6 years ago
Reply to  Tanya

Even when residents DO hear about it, and protest, they are rarely if ever listened to.

andrew
andrew
6 years ago
Reply to  Tanya

THE LOT OF THEM will live to regret this utter lunacy!!! THIS needs to be done in ALL cases
comment image

Covadonga
Covadonga
6 years ago

This is outrageous.

At a minimum, the Australian national government should declare a total ban on Muslim immigration (including by “refugees”) AND a total ban on new mosques and other Islamic structures throughout the whole continent, until the problem is straightened out and these Jews have a place in the neighborhood to pray on their own land.

Of course, we all recognize Australia would be much better off if the bans were permanent, but in today’s political climate you can’t have everything.

Btw, observant Jews aren’t allowed to drive on the Sabbath. So just telling the Jews who live near Bondi Beach that they are welcome to build their synagogue outside the jurisdiction is no solution. They have to be able to reach the new synagogue on foot from where they live. Plus, presumably they already bought this land with the expectation permission would be forthcoming.

Wonder what the Kushners think about this one?

OverIt
OverIt
6 years ago

They ban a synagogue because it might be the target of a terror attack, yet they don’t close down mosques where murderers have been known to congregate and store/pick up weapons. Silly me, I’d have thought it much more of a win for anti-terrorism to close down known sources of its radicals than to refuse to allow other places of worship just on the outside chance that they MIGHT present a target.

All this ‘giving in’ can only end one of two ways, neither one good. One, total submission to the perpetually angry and offended ones. Two, a fightback like has never been seen before.

santashandler
santashandler
6 years ago
Reply to  OverIt

I’ll go with number two….

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago

So the synagogue is a security risk? But what demographic group would constitute that threat?
Synagogues in Turkey are built like fortresses, but that didn’t stop muslums from blowing up two of them, on the same day, in Istanbul, Turkey in 2003.

Alleged Comment
Alleged Comment
6 years ago

Backward and traitorous thinking of the lieberal.

IN EVERY WAY you must accommodate the MOSLEM!!

ON YOUR KNEES Aussies!!! BOW TO THE MOSLEM. Yes, the other way. LOL!!

They are sodomites, you know…..

Florian75
Florian75
6 years ago

By the same logic, every church, cathedral, and temple in Australia is likewise a security risk to the users and members of the general public in the neighborhoods where they are located. The terrorist threat in Australia is not limited to a single synagogue near Bondi Beach. Australia and the rest of the West provides a target rich environment to the to the black-hearted death cult koranimals. Prohibiting construction of a synagogue, chapel, or temple is only trying to prevent the inevitable effect, while ignoring the very obvious cause.

Keith1941D
Keith1941
6 years ago

Everyday I read something more stupider than the day before. Glad my system has adjusted to this. If not I might have a heart attack…you know, being a senior citizen and all…the body just can’t take all of the stupid things going on in the world.

sirock
sirock
6 years ago

For some reason I thought Australian’s had Balls. I guess I was wrong !

LQQKiesee
LQQKiesee
6 years ago

WTH??

Sherry Pennington
Sherry Pennington
6 years ago

Is it in the water or what??? The world seems to have gone crazy. Why would anyone or any country want to cater to a group of people who teach and practice violence and hate? They should be concentrating on how to eliminate that evil way of life, not aiding it and assuring that it spreads. It’s almost like humane societies are trying to commit suicide!!

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