Expert: Israel Prime Suspect in Sydney Attack
Analyst cites Israel’s history of false-flag operations, narrative warfare, and victimization strategy amid growing global backlash over Gaza genocide
Iran, PUREWILAYAH.COM — An expert in West Asian affairs has raised serious questions about the possibility of Israeli security involvement in the deadly armed attack that targeted a Jewish religious celebration in Sydney, arguing that Israel’s historical record, operational capabilities, and current political motives make Tel Aviv a prime suspect from an analytical standpoint.
At least 12 people were killed and dozens injured in a shooting at a Hanukkah event held at Bondi Beach on Saturday. Footage released by authorities showed two gunmen opening fire on the crowd. Australian officials said two suspects were arrested in connection with the incident, with one shot dead by police.
While the motive behind the attack has not yet been officially announced, Israeli officials were quick to label the incident as “anti-Semitic,” claiming they had previously warned the Australian government of a rise in such threats.
Expert Analysis Raises Critical Questions
In an interview with Mehr News Agency (MNA), West Asia expert Alireza Kabiri said that a careful review of the historical behavior of Israeli intelligence and security services compels serious consideration of Israeli involvement.
Kabiri stressed that Israel is among the few actors with a documented record of conducting covert and false-flag operations in third countries, including operations that endangered Jewish lives to achieve strategic objectives.
Historical Precedent: False-Flag Operations
Kabiri pointed to the 1954 Lavon Affair, in which Israeli intelligence carried out bombings targeting Jewish and Western interests in Egypt and attempted to blame other groups in order to damage Egypt’s relations with the West.
“This case was later officially confirmed in Israel and demonstrates that false-flag operations—even at the cost of Jewish lives—are not alien to the regime’s security doctrine,” Kabiri said.
He also cited the 2010 assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai, which demonstrated Mossad’s ability to carry out sophisticated operations in countries with strict security oversight.
According to Kabiri, these precedents show that conducting a controlled security scenario in a country like Australia is well within Israel’s operational capabilities and behavioral patterns.
Crisis of Legitimacy and Motive
Kabiri argued that the timing of the Sydney attack is critical, coming amid Israel’s deep crisis of international legitimacy due to its ongoing genocide in Gaza and aggressive actions across the region.
“When a regime is facing unprecedented global condemnation, creating a security shock that shifts the narrative from perpetrator to victim becomes politically useful,” he said.
Weaponizing Victimhood and Narrative Warfare
Kabiri said the attack can be interpreted as part of a calculated victimization strategy, long employed by Israel to redirect international attention.
He noted that after major waves of criticism—such as following the 2014 Gaza war—Israeli and pro-Israel institutions launched campaigns highlighting alleged threats to Jewish communities in Europe, reframing the narrative to center on “Jewish insecurity” rather than Palestinian suffering.
“An incident like the Sydney shooting serves the same psychological and media function: restoring Western sympathy for Israel and reducing political pressure,” Kabiri said.
He described this approach as part of Israel’s well-established doctrine of narrative warfare, aimed at manipulating emotional responses and media framing.
Comparable Cases from Israel and the United States
Kabiri cited additional historical examples involving both Israel and the United States to illustrate how fabricated or manipulated incidents have been used to engineer public opinion.
Among them:
The 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty, which many analysts argue was a deliberate attempt to draw the US into war against Egypt.
The US Operation Northwoods, a declassified plan from the 1960s proposing staged attacks against American citizens to justify war on Cuba.
The 1990 Nayirah testimony, later exposed as fabricated, which helped build public support for the Gulf War.
Kabiri said these cases demonstrate that manufactured narratives and emotional manipulation are not anomalies, but recurring tools in the security policies of powerful states.
Strategic Context of the Sydney Incident
According to Kabiri, when Israel’s operational history, political motives, and urgent need to reverse global public opinion are examined together, the possibility of Israeli security involvement in the Sydney incident becomes analytically credible, even if not yet proven.
“From a media and psychological warfare perspective, this tragic incident fits a known pattern: portraying victimhood to rebuild Israel’s image and suppress criticism of its crimes,” he said.
Growing Global Backlash
The expert also noted that Israel’s genocide in Gaza has fueled unprecedented global anger and revulsion, not only toward Israeli policies but toward the Zionist project as a whole—an atmosphere Israel is desperate to counter.
He warned against accepting official narratives at face value and called for independent investigations free from political pressure and media manipulation. (PW)