The owner of a cult store defied customer backlash by saying he prays that God will “destroy Israel” and “get rid of the Zionists,” despite marketing his store as one that “gathers the people “.
Hazem Sedda, who owns two Redfern convenience stores located in Sydney’s inner suburbs of Redfern and Newtown, interrupted his usual Instagram posts of exotic snacks and treats to instead show a room full of dead people.
The image posted last Friday is so confronting that Instagram veiled it as “sensitive content” and warned that the video “may contain graphic or violent content.”
Hazem Sedda upset some of his customers by posting that he prays for God to ‘destroy Israel’
In his caption, Mr. Sedda says the photo shows more than 50 Palestinians “massacred by Israeli killers” in Gaza.
“These people were waiting for help so they could feed their children,” he writes.
“God help them. I pray to God on the first Friday of Ramadan to destroy Israel and rid the world of Zionists, because they are the cause of the suffering of the Palestinian people.
This message caused consternation in some quarters.
“It’s a horrible thing to share. Pray for peace not death,” one person wrote in the comments.
Another said it was “a very horrible thing to share”.
“I loved visiting your store and I loved your zest for life,” the person wrote.
“We all suffer when humans spread hatred and we are all fed up with this endless killing season.
“I hope that instead of praying to kill, you will pray for peace. You are a kind soul, this message does not represent the man you are.
“We are all angry when these things happen to those today, October 7 or even before, but hating and praying for the death of others is not who we are.”
Mr. Sedda’s message sparked consternation in some quarters. “It’s a horrible thing to share. Pray for peace not death,” one person wrote in the comments.
Some thought he was taking the wrong side in the conflict.
“Why did Hamas massacre Israelis on October 7? » one comment read.
“A big fan of yours, but that’s only half the story. Hamas could stop this today if it wanted to,” another comment said.
Another accused Mr. Sedda of wanting to “completely abolish the Jews, because that’s always been the case, right?”
However, some don’t think this is what Mr Sedda is suggesting.
“Where did he mention the Jews? Not all Israelis are Jewish,” one person responded.
Some people also expressed sympathy for Mr. Sedda’s anguish.
“I’m so sorry Hazem,” one person wrote.
“I can only imagine how heartbreaking that would be for you to watch. This breaks our hearts all. I am truly sorry for the complacency of the world.
“Liberate Palestine from IDF terrorists,” said another.
Mr Sedda was handpicked as one of the Sydneysiders celebrated for the Opera House’s 50th anniversary.
Mr Sedda is the son of Palestinian immigrants, who took over the store from his father, who fled to Sydney for a better life more than two decades ago, and is a leading representative of the community.
Last October, he was selected to be one of the Sydneysiders celebrated for the Opera House’s 50th anniversary, posting images of himself wearing a keffiyeh, which is a traditional Palestinian scarf or head covering.
“It was an honor, as a native Palestinian and proud owner of the largest Redfern convenience store in the world, to participate in this special day at the Opera House,” he wrote.
Mr Sedda, who is friends with Sydney radio personality Ben Fordham, rose to fame by posting articles on his online store, featuring ‘customer of the day’ as well as hard-to-get international snacks and treats. find in Australia.
He sponsored billboards touting that his store “brings Redfern together” because of its cosmopolitan products.
Fans of the store include ABC presenter Annabelle Crabb, American singer Slayyyter and Australian DJ duo Peking Duk.
Previously, Mr. Sedda had avoided posting political content, but that changed after fighting erupted following the bloody October 7 invasion of Israel by Hamas fighters.
“God, help the Palestinian people to regain their freedom; this is the only way to regain our freedom,” he said on his Instagram in the days following the attack.
‘Enough is enough. The suffering of the Palestinian people due to occupation and violence is a painful and complex story that spans decades. Palestinians live in difficult conditions and persistent conflicts that span many dimensions.
Mr Sedda’s shop became famous on Instagram by telling his customers’ stories and promoting international food and drinks that are hard to find in Australia.
The posts generated both positive and negative comments, but Mr. Sedda was not bothered by the negative reactions.
“That’s the extent of what they can do: give our company a bad review,” he said of those who criticized him.
“They think it can impact business. Or prevent Palestinians from regaining their freedom.
He said the cause was too important not to speak out, no matter the cost.
For those who think this post will affect our family business, I care deeply about my people, who have lost their lives by the hundreds at the hands of Israeli forces over the past 75 years,” he wrote.
“I’m more likely to prioritize caring for my people over my business. End of the line.’
Mr Sedda declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.