Israel at war: Flares set off at Sydney Opera House amid sails tribute to Israel

Members of a pro-Palestinian rally threw flares at the Sydney Opera House, which was lit up with Israel's colours. Police earlier warned the Jewish community to avoid the area.

Pro-Palestine supporters light flares at the Sydney Opera House on Monday night. Picture: David Swift

Gun battles and missile strikes are continuing between Hamas militants and Israeli forces after the Islamist group launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza. Keep up with the latest developments, and reaction from around the world.

Live Updates

10:06 pm October 9, 2023

Israel 'in control' of attacked areas

Staff writers

Israel’s army declared on Monday that its forces were in “control of communities” in its southern territory near Gaza, two days after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack there, AFP reports.

“We are in control of the communities,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari told journalists, adding however that there still might be “terrorists” in the area.

“We have fully evacuated 15 communities out of the 24 that are adjacent to the border.”

Hagari said Israeli forces were expected to complete the evacuation “within the next 24 hours”.

There were “4400 launches at Israel,” Hagari said, referring to the barrage of rockets that Hamas has fired into Israel since launching the assault at dawn on Saturday.

Hagari said 300,000 army reservists had been called up.

At least 700 people have been killed in Israel after hundreds of Hamas militants stormed across the Gaza border.

In response Israeli army has launched intense air strikes on the Palestinian enclave which has so far killed at least 493 people.

9:43 pm October 9, 2023

Israel flag burned at Opera House

Alexi Demetriadi

An Israeli flag was burned on the steps of the Opera House in one of the most concerning scenes from Monday night’s pro-Palestine rally.

Video footage depicts protestors using what appears to be flares to light up the flag, in the middle of a congregated group.

Attendees speaking to The Australian said they didn’t condone the murder of innocent civilians, but were at the rally to support Palestine.

https://x.com/ADemetriadi/status/1711327580228653361?s=20

The burning of the Israeli flag comes as NSW Police urged the Jewish community stay away from the CBD due to the threat of violence between the two groups, and for their own safety.

Another attendee could he heard shouting to the police: “f..k you, scumbags” while things did threaten to spillover as the large group walked south back to circular quay, with police uniformed officers and specialist commands ushering the “f*ck Israel” crowd out and away from the Opera House.

9:38 pm October 9, 2023

Protesters smash up journo’s camera

Alexi Demetriadi

Freelance photographer Michelle Haywood with her camera.

Although scenes never escalated into full-on violence — more akin to a rowdy football game — one freelance $10,000 camera was ripped from her by pro-Palestine protestors and thrown down the steps of the Opera House.

“The flares were starting and I was just near the edge,” freelance photographer Michelle Haywood said.

“I held it up to get a better shot, and next thing I know a young bloke grabbed it.

“He said: ‘what the f..k do you think you’re doing’, and threw it about 20 metres.”

Ms Haywood was in tears speaking to The Australian and said it then got kicked around by other rally protestors, explaining the piece of kit was not insured and would now set her back close to $10,000.

9:15 pm October 9, 2023 Highlight

'Complete siege' of Gaza's 'human animals' ordered

Staff writers

Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said he had ordered a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip, as the nation's forces fight the Hamas terror group.

“I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed,” Gallant said after an assessment at the IDF Southern Command in Beersheba.

“We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly."

8:24 pm October 9, 2023

Flares lit at Sydney Opera house Palestine rally

Staff writers

Members of a pro-Palestinian rally have thrown flares outside the Sydney Opera House, which was lit up with Israeli colours.

The angry crowd, which had marched from Town Hall, yelled “f..k Israel" and “f..k the Jews” as the sails were lit in blue and white.

A number of police officers guarded the Opera House stairs.

At 8:30, the bulk of the pro-Palestine march had filtered away, but a rowdy group from the crowd — some decked in face coverings, with megaphones and flags of Iran, Lebanon, Palestine and the Gulf states — could be heard chanting “f..k the Zionist pigs”.

Pro-Palestine supporters in Sydney marched from Town Hall to the Opera House on Monday night. Picture: David Swift

“Palestine will be free, f..k the Zionist pigs,” one group chanted.

“Allahu akbar” was also heard under the sails of the Opera House.

Police lined the stairs leading up to the Opera House, which should been a moment of solidarity, bathed in the Israel flag, for the city’s Jewish community.

However, with cries of “f..k Israel and the Zionist pigs” it was a far cry from that moment.

Earlier in the day, NSW Police had urged the Jewish community to stay away, given safety concerns.

– Joanna Panagopoulos and Alexi Demetriadi

7:52 pm October 9, 2023 Highlight

Hamas attacks 'a reckoning for Israel'

Amanda Hodge

Indonesia’s most powerful Islamic scholars body has described the weekend’s deadly Hamas attacks as a “reckoning for Israel”, and urged all Palestinian factions to seize the moment to “unite and consolidate their efforts” to achieve independence.

The Ulema Council of Indonesia (MUI) said the co-ordinated attacks on Israel, which killed more than 700 Israelis, were a reaction to the “arbitrary actions” of Israeli authorities “who have systematically undermined the sovereignty of the Palestinian people and nation”.

“Combined with the numerous violations of various agreements by the Israeli authorities, it is evident that Israel must pay a heavy price. Hamas' significant attack serves as a reckoning for Israel, and Israel will have to bear the consequences on its own,” MUI foreign relations chairman Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim said in a statement on Monday.

The Hamas attacks which began on Saturday were timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the 1973 war, when Israel’s Arab neighbours launched a surprise attack on Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

More than 400 Palestinians have been killed in intense retaliatory Israeli airstrikes on Gaza which the MUI said could “become a moment for the Palestinian people and nation to strengthen their heroism in liberating a people and Palestine that have been oppressed for a long time”.

While Indonesia has long supported the cause of Palestinian independence, the government has so far tempered its response.

A statement issued by the foreign ministry on Sunday expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict, and urged an immediate end to violence while acknowledging the need to resolve the “root of the conflict, namely the occupation of the Palestinian territories by Israel”.

Others have been less diplomatic.

Indonesia’s former vice president Jusuf Kalla described the Hamas attacks as an “extraordinary act carried out in the name of freedom and independence", while Fadli Zion, an MP known to support hardliners and chairman of the Gerindra Party which backs presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, insisted Hamas could not be labelled terrorists.

"Let us not forget that since the beginning of 2023, Israel has killed nearly 300 Palestinians in the West Bank. Likewise, the provocative intrusion of approximately 4000 Israeli settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex last June,” he said.

"This is like our fighters of the past who resisted Dutch colonialism. The Palestinian people feel global injustice.”

7:35 pm October 9, 2023

Hundreds show out for pro-Palestine rally

Staff writers

Hundreds of people have descended upon Sydney’s Town Hall in support of Palestine with the waving of Palestinian flags on display and the joining of anti-Israel and anti-US chants.

The Daily Telegraph reported a “chorus of boos” were heard when it was announced the NSW government would illuminate the Opera House in blue and white in support of Israel.

Earlier today, Anthony Albanese urged pro-Palestine protesters not to attend the rally.

“I absolutely believe it should not (go ahead),” the Prime Minister said. “I support people’s right to demonstrate their views, we’re a democratic nation.

“But I just would counsel what is to be served apart from really just creating a climate that is not conducive to peace and to the objectives of wanting to see Palestinians and Israelis living a peaceful and secure life would not advance it at all.”

The NSW Greens endorsed the pro-Palestine rally on its social media platforms, drawing criticism and support.

– Harry Brill

6:19 pm October 9, 2023

Police tell Jewish community to avoid Sydney tribute

Alexi Demetriadi

NSW Police have warned Sydney’s Jewish community from attending the CBD on Monday evening for the lighting of the Sydney Opera House’s sails over safety concerns.

It comes with a condemned pro-Palestine rally taking place on Monday evening before the lighting of the sails with the Israeli flag, although the Jewish community have since been urged to stay at home.

“NSW police are urging the community not to attend the Sydney Opera House or Town Hall this evening,” an email from the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies to members said.

“Community members already in the CBD should be vigilant as protesters are likely to seek to march from Town Hall to the Sydney Opera House.

“The events tonight may pose a risk to the safety of community members and you are strongly urged not to attend.”

The board have been in contact with NSW Police throughout the day and it is understood the new advice came from assistant Police Commissioner Tony Cooke.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said it was disturbing and concerning to know the community were not safe in their own city.

“It is a very sad state of affairs when security concerns mean that the Jewish community is not safe to go to certain parts of the Sydney CBD,” Mr Ossip said.

Earlier on Monday, the Prime Minister condemned the pro-Palestine rally in Sydney’s CBD on Monday night as Australia’s Jewish organisations condemned both the Greens for their support and those planning to attend.

“I support people’s right to demonstrate their views, we’re a democratic nation,” Mr Albanese said.

“But I would counsel what is to be served apart from really just creating a climate that is not conducive to peace and to the objectives of wanting to see Palestinians and Israelis living a peaceful and secure life would not advance it at all.”

The Australian Jewish Association and the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies slammed the state Greens for supporting the pro-Palestine rally in Sydney’s CBD, with one of the groups saying they were “backing terror”.

The organising group said it would be a “mass, peaceful protest”.

6:03 pm October 9, 2023

Israel fighting Hamas in up to eight locations

Staff writers

Fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas Palestinian militants was ongoing Monday in seven to eight locations around the Gaza Strip, the army said, AFP reports.

“We’re still fighting. There are between seven to eight open places around Gaza (where) we have still warriors fighting terrorists,” military spokesman Richard Hecht told reporters, two days after the Palestinian Islamist group launched a surprise attack on Israel.

5:58 pm October 9, 2023

Dutton backs 'whatever force is appropriate'

Staff writers

Peter Dutton says Israel must respond with “whatever force is appropriate” and Australia should provide “munitions and otherwise” to Israel in an interview on Sky News.

“I’ve said today Australia should provide whatever support Israel requests and it should be made known to Israel by the Prime Minister that Australia is prepared to provide munitions and support otherwise as the Americans and others no doubt have.”

The Opposition Leader took aim at the pro-Hamas rally in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba, calling on the government to take action on those involved.

“It should be condemned in the strongest possible terms and people who are out celebrating the rape, the abduction, the slaughter of women and children,” he said.

“I mean, if people are inciting violence then obviously the Australian Federal Police will have investigations underway at the moment and I would lend every support to the government in coming down hard on those elements, it’s completely and utterly unacceptable.”

Mr Dutton said it was important for Australian agencies to “ramp up” efforts in keeping the Jewish community, including schools, safe amid domestic tension.

– Harry Brill