From a Synagogue in Belleville to the Global Struggle for Peace

 This past week, on Sunday, September 20th, at approximately 7 PM in Belleville, Ontario, the world witnessed a 29-year-old gunman show up outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue.

 The assailant, Sean Ward - a former member of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry army division and a known anti-vaxxer who became consumed by COVID-19 conspiracy echo chambers - targeted the site. People have no right to blame Canadian citizens of Jewish background for the ongoing attempted genocide against Palestinians by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Antisemitism is deeply repugnant, and all Canadians of Jewish background have the same right and expectation to be safe as any other Canadian citizen.

  Due to security concerns, an unmarked police vehicle was parked nearby while worshippers were inside observing Yom Kippur, the holiest evening of the Jewish faith. All reports indicate that Ward opened fire on Constable Jeff Smith, who was stationed outside in an unmarked vehicle for security. Multiple rounds struck the synagogue’s stained-glass windows, nearby homes, and vehicles. Roughly two dozen worshippers were inside; none were physically injured. Ward was critically wounded, revived, and later died in hospital. Smith remains in critical but stable condition and is recovering.

 This attack wasn’t an isolated act of violence; it was a symptom of a growing trend in which global conflicts are weaponized to justify domestic hatred - especially against Jewish Canadians.

 Israel’s right to exist is ironclad. As a democratic haven for a persecuted people, it faces an existential threat from Hamas, a terrorist group that uses civilians as human shields, fires rockets, and sacrifices Gaza’s future for its own survival. Obliterating Hamas isn’t just Israel’s right; it’s essential for peace.

 Human rights organizations and international observers have raised serious concerns about Netanyahu’s decision‑making in his government’s treatment of Palestinians. Should Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu face legal consequences for his actions? The evidence increasingly suggests yes.

 Netanyahu and his government have proven themselves incapable of wielding a precision scalpel for targeted counter-terrorism, and appear to limit or use humanitarian aid as a weapon. The citizens of Israel must continue to demand that the cycle of violence be stopped, and they will have an opportunity to make that change permanent during the next elections.

 No one conflated the Irish with the IRA’s violence, and Palestinians must not be equated with Hamas. That is a lazy, dangerous falsehood. Palestinians deserve peace, dignity, and a future free from Hamas’s tyranny. Thousands in Gaza have protested over the last two years, chanting “We want to live” and “Hamas out,” rejecting the fanatical ideology that cages the very people it claims to represent. These brave voices, risking retribution, point the way forward: amplify Gazans demanding Hamas’s surrender.

 The world craves a modern-day Yitzhak Rabin in Israel today. Amplifying Gaza’s anti-Hamas voices while ensuring Israel’s security through smart, lawful counter-terrorism is the true way forward. Rabin’s legacy demands we aim higher than permanent conflict.

 A two-state framework, often touted, may work, but it risks cementing ethno-religious divides. A more courageous path is a secular, multicultural state where Jews, Palestinians, and others coexist with equal rights. This vision faces deep resistance - from historic trauma, hardened leadership, and decades of mistrust - but it’s worth pursuing. Joint economic initiatives - shared tech hubs, water infrastructure, cross-border trade zones - can help build trust, address Israeli security concerns, and ease Palestinian fears of cultural erasure.

 It’s important to remember that peace-seekers exist on both sides, waiting to be amplified. Crush Hamas, defend Palestinian lives, and build a society where all can thrive. Anything less betrays Gaza’s brave protesters, the lost Israeli hostages, Jewish people around the world who live in fear, and the hope for lasting peace. Let's hope Constable Jeff Smith has a full and healthy recovery.