• A cafe has said that Sydney’s Daily Telegraph staged a provocation by sending a Zionist into their café; a crew waited outside to film a confrontation.
• The incident, which prompted a police investigation has intensified criticism of mainstream media bias.
The owners of an Australian restaurant claim Sydney’s Daily Telegraph staged a setup by sending a Zionist, Jewish man to provoke staff or customers.
According to Cairo Takeaway, a Daily Telegraph team—including a reporter, photographer, and video producer—waited outside the Newtown restaurant while Israeli activist Ofir Birenbaum entered, wearing a Star of David cap and pendant. Sources told Daily Mail Australia that Mr. Birenbaum also wore sunglasses capable of recording interactions while openly identifying himself as Jewish.
Mr. Birenbaum, known for participating in Zionist protests, entered the café just after it opened and ordered a hibiscus tea, according to an Instagram post by Cairo Takeaway. The post described the incident, stating that after receiving his tea, he lingered by the counter before asking the server, “Do you have a problem with me because I’m Jewish?”
The staff member was reportedly shocked by the question and responded with “Excuse me?” Mr. Birenbaum allegedly replied, “You’re intimidating me; you’re making me feel unsafe.” The staff member tried to disengage by stepping outside, only to be confronted by the waiting Daily Telegraph team, which the restaurant says was lying in wait to ambush them.
The Daily Telegraph team was reportedly filming for a proposed documentary intended to capture “a day in the life of a Jewish person in Sydney.” It is understood they had spent several hours in other suburbs without encountering any confrontations before arriving at Cairo Takeaway.
“It is easy to infer that they attended Cairo with the intent of manufacturing a story,” the restaurant’s Instagram post stated. The post also claimed the crew “realized they were in too deep” and tried to withdraw, but Mr. Birenbaum remained inside, allegedly saying to staff, “You Arabs make good tea.”
The post concluded with:
“The Daily Telegraph attempted to fabricate an antisemitic incident by sending a Zionist provocateur into an Arab restaurant. Free Palestine.”
A woman believed to be a Cairo Takeaway staff member can be heard confronting them: “You’re hanging around with the wrong crowd—that’s divisive journalism,” she said. When Mr. Birenbaum asked what she meant by “the wrong crowd,” she responded: “The wrong crowd, darl. You wanted to make antisemitic statements up here. Look at you—ashamed. Look at you, tails between your legs. F*ing hell, darl. You picked the wrong restaurant.”
Police were called to the scene, and a spokeswoman later confirmed an investigation had been conducted after a staff member reported being intimidated by a customer. “Following inquiries, no criminal offense was identified,” the spokeswoman said.
The following Daily Telegraph document was leaked:
Cairo Takeaway, which serves Egyptian street-inspired cuisine, was founded by Hesham El Masry in 2016.
On Instagram, in December 2023, Mr. El Masry responded to a comment about a mural of the Palestinian flag outside his eatery by writing:
“Cairo Takeaway does not want narcissistic Zionist pigs like yourself coming into our restaurant. People like you are not welcome here—or anywhere for that matter.”
After receiving criticism for his post, he defended his response at the time, stating that “the full context of the greater issues occurring to the children of Gaza” must be considered. He also criticised mainstream media for “always favoring the Israeli perspective” regarding the bombardment of Gaza.
The brutal and barbaric genocide of Palestinians in Gaza has resulted in a current death toll of 44,6600 Palestinians. Notably, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes.
