CSO only option in face of changing security threat, say experts

JORDAN MOSHE

Last Wednesday, the security experts from the Jewish diaspora (whose names could not be disclosed for safety reasons) addressed a meeting convened by the Community Security Organisation (CSO) at Investec in Sandton.

The enemy used to be visible, but these days, they warn, the threat is almost invisible, and could be one angry individual not overtly linked to any organisation.

They stress the urgency of raising security awareness across the community, emphasising the new state of affairs in Israel and globally.

“In the 1950s, Ben-Gurion said of Israel that everywhere had become the frontline, and everyone had become part of the army,” one expert said. “In the past, there were borders, and if your house was on the border, you were in trouble.”

“Nowadays, the borderline is everywhere. Every house can be a target. In the past, the army could tell the population ‘relax, we’re taking care of the situation’. Nowadays, we can no longer accept that because we are all targeted, and we want to know what to do. We are part of the problem, but also the solution.”

They said Jewish communities around the world were in a similar situation. “Years ago, the terror attacks we feared came from specific organisations like Hezbollah. They looked for a big Magen David when planning attacks. They didn’t go out to stab just one Jew on the street. The heads of communities could say that they were taking care of it, and that they had security to protect the community.”

However, the attack in Toulouse, France, in 2012 showed the situation had changed. “Someone can make a decision as an individual to attack a school. It has nothing to do with a big Magen David, nor organised terror. A few years ago, the enemy of the Jewish way of life was well-funded terror organisations. Now, private individuals at home on their computer can join ISIS [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] or the extreme right, take a car and a gun, and try to attack Jews,” said one of the experts.

“Most people don’t want to hear about security issues. I visited a small community in New Zealand to encourage it to be more security conscious at shuls, schools, and events. It said to me, ‘You come from Israel. You have the security problems. Here, nothing happens. We have sheep, not terror.’”

Tragically, the attack carried out at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, proved their point. “A young guy took two rifles, entered a mosque, and murdered Muslims. The extreme right shared his manifesto online, and said it applied to Jews as well.”

The experts stressed that South Africa is no exception. “It happens in Europe, in the United States, and even South America. The Thulsie twins’ [alleged plans] almost happened here. Our goal is not to scare you, but encourage you to be aware of what can happen anywhere in the world.”

Beyond supporting organisations like the CSO, they said that the best way to address the situation is to be better informed, more aware, and to take the necessary precautions. “Toulouse is an example of something that could have been prevented by just locking a door or putting a guard outside. Pittsburgh is the same. The only people that can make sure the community is ready is the community itself.”

They stressed the need to create and maintain our own systems geared towards securing the Jewish community. “No country is rich enough to cover the security needs of the Jewish people. The French did it for some time after the attacks. Soldiers slept in shuls, and children were welcomed by soldiers at schools. It didn’t last.”

Supporting the CSO is the only way. “I’ve never seen the police in South Africa help the CSO care for shuls, schools, or events. It means that only you can make sure your community is safe, that you need to know what to do, and must support the CSO so it supports you.”

This is more crucial than ever, considering the changing nature of the threats we face. “Between 2017 and 2018, there was no one country in which anti-Semitism did not rise dramatically,” they said. “Everyone concentrated on ISIS, but over the past year, Jews have been killed by the right-wing. This is the new enemy.”

They concluded by urging every member of the community to become involved in security in some capacity. “We need everyone to be part of the CSO,” the experts said. “You are all part of the solution. You need to know what to do. That doesn’t mean you all need to stand outside a shul, but you should be aware. An aware public prevents attacks.

“In New York, it’s proven that 50% of thwarted terror attacks were prevented by citizens who were aware. All the other official forces like the military and FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation] combined stopped 50%. But people like you and me prevented the rest just because we were aware.

“A thousand eyes gives you a sense of self confidence, and it’s something which unites the community. Even if something happens, you have a strong community which knows what to do. In Toulouse, the community almost collapsed after the first attack. When the community knows what to do and is aware, it becomes stronger and more united.