Anti-Semitic Massacre at Chanukah Celebration in Sydney, Australia Leaves 11 Dead

An anti-Semitic terrorist attack took place at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia during a Chanukah by the Sea event resulting in the deaths of 11 Jews. The dead include a British born Chabad rabbi, an Israeli national and a Holocaust survivor.

The massacre was committed by two gunmen along a pedestrian bridge. One gunman was killed by authorities while another was tackled by an unarmed bystander named Ahmed al Ahmed who sustained gunshot wounds in the course of confronting the shooter. One of the gunmen has been identified as Naveed Akram although it is not clear if he was the gunman killed by police or tackled by the bystander.

It is the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in the world since October 7th. Of course, anti-Semitism has surged over the entire world since October 7th, but few places have been worse than Australia. There have been numerous attacks on synagogues and Jewish owned businesses since October 7th, mainly in Sydney and Melbourne not to mention attacks on Jewish neighborhoods and threats by nurses to kill Jewish and Israeli patients or refuse to treat them.

Following the torching of a synagogue and an attack at a restaurant in Melbourne this past July, I made this chilling observation:

Sadly, this won't be the last such incident in Australia. I fear the next time anti-Semitism in the name of globalizing the intifada strikes, there will be dead Jews. Of course, this is exactly what those who wish to "globalize the intifada" want.

I take no pleasure in being correct with my assessment, but this was inevitable. Understandably, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is furious with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

Three months ago I wrote to the Australian prime minister that your policy is pouring oil on the fire of antisemitism. Antisemitism is a cancer that spreads when leaders are silent and do not act.

Netanyahu was referring to a letter he wrote to Albanese after he formally recognized Palestinian statehood last August:

Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on the antisemitic fire. It rewards Hamas terrorists. It emboldens those who menace Australian Jews and encourages the Jew hatred now stalking your streets. Anti-Semitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent, it retreats when leaders act. I call upon you to replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve.

Albanese received another letter a few short weeks ago:

As a rabbi in Sydney, I beg you not to betray the Jewish people and not God Himself.

Jews have been torn from their land again and again by leaders who are now remembered with contempt in the pages of history. You have an opportunity to stand on the side of truth and justice.

I congratulate you in advance for the courage to do what is right and stand firm against this act of heresy.

Unfortunately, this advance congratulations proved to be premature. That letter was written by Rabbi Eli Schlanger. He was among the 11 Jews killed at Bondi Beach. 

There may be a brief pause of sympathy with liberal doses of lip service. But soon enough, the campaign of anti-Semitism in the name of the globalized intifada will continue unabated at least until the next brief pause.