Israeli officials from across the political spectrum unleashed fierce criticism of Australia’s government on Sunday, arguing that years of unchecked antisemitism and recent political decisions paved the way for the deadly mass shooting at a Chanukah gathering in Sydney.
The attack, which unfolded during a communal event at Bondi Beach, left at least 15 people dead after two gunmen opened fire. Thirteen others were reported to be in critical condition, among them two police officers who were wounded while responding to the scene.
Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry issued one of the harshest responses, declaring that responsibility for the massacre lay squarely with Canberra. Condemning what it called a “brutal act of terror targeting Jews who had gathered to mark the lighting of a Chanukah candle,” the ministry stated that “the blood of the victims is on the hands of the Australian government.” The statement accused Australia of pursuing policies that made it impossible for Jews to live “safely, peacefully, and securely as Jews in their own country.”
The ministry went further, asserting that since October 7, Australia had chosen “a policy of weakness, restraint, and appeasement” rather than standing firmly with Israel, and charged that Canberra was “appeasing the enemies of Western civilization.” According to the statement, data showed that “Australia has become one of the Western countries experiencing the sharpest and most alarming rise in antisemitic incidents since October 7,” adding that “repeated warnings, appeals, and attempts to engage with the authorities have been met time and again with a wall of indifference.”
President Isaac Herzog also addressed the tragedy, describing the shooting as “cruel” and urging Australian authorities to confront what he called “the enormous wave of antisemitism” gripping the country. Speaking at an event at the President’s Residence in Yerushalayim, he said, “Our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia, have been attacked by vile terrorists in a very cruel attack on Jews who had gone to light the first candle of Chanukah.” He added pointedly, “We repeat our alerts time and again to the Australian government.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar echoed those warnings in an English-language post, saying Australia had been repeatedly cautioned about the danger of violence. He described the shooting as the outcome of “the antisemitic rampage in the streets of Australia over the past two years, with the antisemitic and inciting calls of ‘Globalize the Intifada’ that were realized today.” Sa’ar concluded that “The Australian government, which received countless warning signs, must come to its senses.”
Israeli Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon said there had been no specific intelligence pointing to an imminent attack, but stressed that national threat assessments had long warned of the likelihood of such violence. Since the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023, he said, “we have witnessed a series of actions against the Jewish community and its institutions, a series that only intensified.” He added that he had publicly warned more than once that “if I were to wake up one morning and learn that a Jew was physically harmed, I wouldn’t be surprised.”
Statistics released by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry underscored those concerns. A recent report recorded 1,654 antisemitic incidents between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025—roughly five times the annual average of the preceding decade. The year immediately after the October 7 attack saw an even higher figure, with 2,062 incidents documented.
Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu spoke just hours after the massacre, recalling a letter he sent to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in August. In that letter, he warned Canberra against policies that, in his words, were pouring fuel “on this antisemitic fire.” Paraphrasing his message, Netanyahu said Albanese’s actions, including Australia’s recognition of a Palestinian state in September, had encouraged “the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets. Antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent. You must replace weakness with action.”
Netanyahu also issued a broader rebuke, saying, “We will continue to denounce those who do not denounce, but instead encourage. We will continue to demand that they do what is needed of leaders of free nations. We will not give up, we will not bow our heads, we will continue to fight as our ancestors did.”
Senior ministers from Israel’s right wing were even more explicit in linking the attack to Australian policy. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir argued that the decision to recognize a Palestinian state directly contributed to the violence. “Antisemitic terrorism knows no borders, but the blood of the murdered is on the hands of the Australian government, which announced recognition of a ‘Palestinian’ state and legitimized terrorism against Jews,” he said in a statement backing Australia’s Jewish community.
Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich said images from Sydney evoked memories of October 7 and demanded firm action, calling for “an uncompromising demand that the Australian government deal firmly with the rising antisemitism in the country and protect its Jews.” Immigration Minister Ofir Sofer wrote that during a visit to Australia he had seen “grave and troubling antisemitism, without an adequate response from the Australian government.” Fellow Religious Zionism MK Ohad Tal warned that “when you support terror in the Middle East, you get terror in your backyard. The massacre of Jews in Sydney is not fate; it’s the result of antisemitism that is allowed to grow unchecked.”
Australia’s September decision to recognize a Palestinian state was repeatedly cited by Israeli officials as part of the broader climate they say emboldened extremists.
Leaders of Shas and United Torah Judaism also condemned the attack, noting that a Chabad rabbi was among those killed. Shas chairman Aryeh Deri said the massacre recalled the horrors of October 7 and cautioned other countries experiencing surges in anti-Jewish hatred. UTJ chairman Yitzchak Goldknopf said that “hatred of Jews knows no borders and erupts wherever incitement and terror are met with a blind eye.”
Criticism of Canberra was not limited to Israel’s governing coalition. Opposition figures joined the chorus, with Naftali Bennett accusing Australia of failure. He said that “failed and weak leadership on antisemitism led to Bondi,” adding, “The writing was on the wall and the government turned a blind eye to it.” Bennett demanded “that the Australian government take immediate action to protect Jewish communities and deal with antisemitism with the utmost seriousness.”
Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party, warned of the deadly trajectory of unchecked incitement. “What starts with genocidal cries for the destruction of Israel, unsurprisingly ends with arson attacks on synagogues and murderous terror shootings against Jews at a Chanukah event,” he wrote. Echoing others, he said in English that “the writing was on the wall – and despite repeated warnings, the Australian authorities missed it once again,” urging Canberra to “take unprecedented measures to secure and protect their Jewish communities.”
MK Gilad Kariv, who chairs the Knesset Diaspora Affairs Committee, likewise insisted that “the Australian government must act decisively to ensure the safety of Australian Jews and to combat the scourge of antisemitism,” announcing that his committee would take up the issue in parliament.
{Matzav.com}
