An archetype is "the original model or perfect example of something."

Entrapment is “the act of causing someone to do something they would not usually do by tricking them”.

An archetype of entrapment was witnessed in Sydney on 11 February.

It is not only a clear example of entrapment but also shows the complicity of some members of the press in fabricating negative stories about Muslims exhibiting anti-Jewish behaviour.

The Cairo Takeaway is a no-frills eatery serving Egyptian street food (falafel, charcoal meats, salads, dips, pita wraps, etc) in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney. It is owned by Hesham El Masry and has a mural in the colours of the Palestinian flag on its outer wall. It is described as a little corner shop, with little seating.

On the afternoon of 11 February, a man wearing a Star of David cap and pendant, entered the restaurant, ordered a tea but no food, and refused to leave. He then began making provocative comments to a waitress, pressing her to say “Shalom” and accusing her of discrimination.

The man was Ofir Birenbaum, declared a “Friend of AJA” in social media posts by the Australian Jewish Association, but widely recognised as a Zionist agitator. In December 2024, he was featured on Sky News, claiming he had been “moved on by police” after harassing pro-Palestinian protestors.

The interaction escalated, and was witnessed by the takeaway’s chef Talaat Sehia, and several locals and passers-by. Talaat told reporters, “I knew he was a provocateur straight away.”

The setup of the entrapment was that meters away, outside Domino’s, a Daily Telegraph video news crew were waiting, and sprang into action looking for any misstep that could be spun into a scandal.

The waitress was visibly distressed, and stepped outside, where she was confronted by the waiting Daily Telegraph crew. However, on the street, the crew were met by passers-by, including indigenous aborigines, who called out the journalists for their tactics. And the tables were turned; restaurant staff and passers-by starting filming the incident on their smartphones.

Birenbaum and the Daily Telegraph team fled, tails between their legs. The situation was so ridiculous and poorly executed that one witness described it as “Looney Tunes-level comical”.

When police were called, they dismissed the incident as a non-criminal matter that they could not take further. “I said to the police, ‘This seems to be intentional provocation.’ And the cop said, ‘It is, but it’s not criminal,” Talaat recounted.

I said to the police, ‘This seems to be intentional provocation.’ And the cop said, ‘It is, but it’s not criminal.‘

Perhaps needless to say, the incident did not receive coverage in Australian media outlets. At a subsequent hearing, the head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), Mike Burgess, described the stunt as “just mind-blowingly stupid”.‘Mind-blowingly stupid’: Asio chief criticises News Corp’s alleged attempt to provoke Middle Eastern cafe staff | Australian media | The Guardian

In reply, Greens senator David Shoebridge questioned why Burgess was not more critical of the alleged sting operation and suggested it deserved more attention from the domestic spy agency, which has repeatedly warned of social division.

“The concerns that many people have is this was not a moment of stupidity, this was a planned, resourced and approved sting operation to try and sow division on the streets of Sydney. It didn’t appear to be stupid; it appeared to be venal, planned, nasty and divisive … that is more troubling than something mind-blowingly stupid.”

Every weekend since the War on Gaza began, pro-Palestinian rallies have been held in New Zealand. Each weekend, there have been around 20 rallies, from Kerikeri in the north to Invercargill in the south.

In Auckland, the rallies have been held at Aotea Square, and Te Komititanga (Britomart). Depending on the weather, marches have followed the rallies, ending outside such places as the US embassy.

These rallies and marches have been targeted by pro-Israel demonstrators. Their purpose is to provoke a reaction from the marchers, no doubt then claiming anti-Jewish violence. (This is unlikely, as several members of the Jews for Palestine movement regularly attend rallies and marches.) However, before each march, the organisers issue an announcement that they know that such people exist, and that, if provoked, marchers should not retaliate but approach a warden who will deal with the matter appropriately.