A mass shooting interrupted a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on December 10, 2023. More than 1,000 attendees were enjoying the first night of the festival when a father-son duo allegedly opened fire with rifles, targeting the crowd. Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers fired shots for over five minutes, creating chaos and confusion among the celebrants.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the incident, labeling it “a targeted attack on Jewish Australians.” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns echoed this sentiment, stating that the shooting was aimed specifically at Sydney’s Jewish community. The assailants reportedly had an improvised explosive device in their vehicle, heightening fears regarding the premeditated nature of the assault.
Despite the known threats against Jewish Australians, particularly following the escalation of antisemitic incidents since the conflict between Hamas and Israel began on October 7, 2023, police presence at the event appears to have been insufficient. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) reported a significant rise in antisemitic attacks in the two years following that date.
Eyewitness videos captured the gunmen taking their time to aim and shoot from a bridge overlooking the beach. In one instance, a local man, identified as 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, intervened, managing to wrestle a gun away from one of the attackers despite sustaining two gunshot wounds in the process. This response from civilians raises serious questions about police preparedness.
Oded Ailam, a former Israeli intelligence officer, emphasized the alarming nature of the attack, indicating that it seemed well-planned over an extended period. “The first initial reaction wasn’t even by police, it was by civilians, which raised a lot of questions about the role of police,” Ailam noted. He added, “Everything points to this being a preplanned attack that was planned for a significant amount of time.”
In the wake of previous antisemitic incidents, including arson attacks on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne and the Lewis Continental Kitchen in Sydney, authorities had indicated that these acts were linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. In response to these threats, Prime Minister Albanese expelled Iran’s ambassador from Australia earlier this year, citing intelligence that implicated Iran in these activities.
Following the shooting, Iranian officials condemned the attack. Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, expressed that violence against civilians should always be condemned, stating, “Terror violence and mass killing shall be condemned, wherever they’re committed, as unlawful and criminal.”
When questioned about potential intelligence failures leading up to the attack, New South Wales officials declined to comment, emphasizing the need to focus on community safety. The assailants, identified as a father and son originally from Pakistan, legally purchased six firearms and attempted to use explosives during the attack.
The ECAJ highlighted that antisemitic incidents in Australia have reached historically high levels, nearly five times the average annual number before the surge in violence after October 7, 2023. This spike represents the most significant increase among the J7 countries—those with the largest Jewish communities outside of Israel—over the past three years.
The recent attack serves as a stark reminder of the escalating violence targeting Jewish communities both in Australia and globally. Oren Segal, senior vice president of counter-extremism and intelligence at the Anti-Defamation League, stated, “This attack is not only the latest in a disturbing series of antisemitic incidents in Australia but also around the globe, including in the United States. And these incidents are becoming increasingly violent.”
As authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack, the community grapples with the implications for safety and security, particularly during significant cultural celebrations. The incident underscores the urgent need for enhanced protective measures for vulnerable communities in Australia and beyond.
