The attack that left 15 dead during a Jewish celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney has revived fears of a global escalation of violence. antisemitic attackswhile the politicians’ stories already narrate the events in opposite ways. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahucame forward to directly link the attack with Australia’s decision to recognize the State of Palestinean accusation that has added political tension to an episode already marked by shock and mourning.
The Australian authorities were quick to classify “terrorist” incident to the attack that occurred in the middle of the celebration of the festival of Januca and that claimed the lives of a 10-year-old child, a rabbi and a Holocaust survivor, among others. But the impact goes beyond the victims and families: the attack comes in a context of growing unrest among Jewish communities around the world.
It is estimated that the 46% of the world’s adult populationabout 2.2 billion people, maintains anti-Semitic attitudesaccording to the latest Global 100 survey by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the consulting firm Ipsos. This is the largest survey worldwide that makes this type of measurement and the ADL states that 2025 is the highest level of anti-Semitism recorded since it has been recorded and more than double that of a decade ago. The Sydney attack has made real the fear of the Jewish community that these anti-Semitic opinions will translate into violent acts against their physical integrity.
File – Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. / Haim Zach/GPO/dpa – Archivo
Netanyahu against Australia
Netanyahu reacted harshly. In a message to the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanesestated that he had warned that “Call for a Palestinian state adds fuel to the fire of anti-Semitism“The Israeli leader went further than other members of his Government in trying to establish a direct relationship between the diplomatic recognition of Palestine and the armed attack, which caused at least one Israeli victim.
Australia formally recognized the State of Palestine in September, during the annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations, joining other countries to reach a total of 159 States who have taken that step. The majority of the international community defends the two state solution as the only way to end decades of conflict. The Netanyahu government, however, maintains that that international impulse “rewards Hamas”, especially in the context of the war in Gaza following the attack by the Islamist group in October 2023.
Netanyahu delved into the controversy this Monday by publicly praising the intervention of a civilian who managed to disarm one of the attackers during the chaos, whom he described as “a Jew.” However, this is Ahmed al Ahmed, an Australian citizen of Syrian origin, whose religion has not been officially confirmed. Her mother appeared in a hijab in public statements, and the Israeli prime minister’s characterization was criticized for distorting the facts at a highly sensitive time.
In Australia, the impact of the attack has been profound. The alleged attackers were father and son, residents of a Sydney suburb, and one of them had had a weapons license for a decade. The intelligence agency ASIO had investigated the son years ago for possible links to a cell of the Islamic State.
The Australian Jewish community had been warning for months of a deterioration in security. “Our figures anti-semitic incidents are off scaleat levels we have not seen in more than 30 years,” said Daniel Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, referring to arson attacks, graffiti and threats. In the last year, Synagogues and Jewish businesses in Sydney and Melbourne have been targetedand Australia even accused Iran of directing some of those attacks, breaking diplomatic relations.
Prime Minister Albanese called the attack “an act of terrorism and antisemitism” that “has struck the heart of our nation” and promised to use “all necessary resources” to guarantee the safety of the Jewish community. The country’s Muslim leaders unequivocally condemned the violence and called for social cohesion in the face of extremism.
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