Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli says Australian leaders should have foreseen the Bondi Beach Hanukkah attack, arguing that a post-Oct. 7 rise in antisemitic demonstrations helped create a dangerous climate. The assault killed 15 people, including a child and a Holocaust survivor, and left dozens injured. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has proposed tougher gun laws and said suspects were motivated by Islamic State ideology, while community leaders say prior warnings were not acted on.
Israeli Diaspora Minister: Australia "Should Have Seen the Writing on the Wall" Before Deadly Bondi Hanukkah Attack
Israeli Minister For Diaspora Affairs and Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli (C) attends the Light Against Terror: Hanukkah Memorial event next to Former Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott (L) at Chabad of Bondi Synagogue on Wednesday in Sydney.
Israel's Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli, told Fox News Digital that Australian leaders should have anticipated last weekend's deadly attack at a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach that left 15 people dead and dozens wounded.
NSW Premier Chris Minns and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attend a press conference at NSW Police headquarters, following a deadly shooting incident during a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Dec. 16, 2025.
Context and Concerns
Chikli said the environment in Australia shifted markedly after the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas, which he argued contributed to a rise in antisemitic demonstrations and violent rhetoric. He cited an August protest on the Sydney Harbour Bridge where participants chanted slogans such as "Globalize the intifada" and waved flags supporting Hamas, ISIS and other extremist groups, saying those displays fostered a climate that made the Bondi attack more likely.
Israeli Minister For Diaspora Affairs and Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli speaks during the Light Against Terror: Hanukkah Memorial event at Chabad of Bondi Synagogue on Wednesday in Sydney.
Government Response and Debate
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has proposed tightening Australia’s gun laws in response to the attack. "The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary. Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws," Albanese said after a National Cabinet meeting. He also described the suspects as motivated by "the sort of ideology of the Islamic State" and condemned the attackers' beliefs as "evil."
A woman kneels and prays at a flower memorial to shooting victims outside the Bondi Pavilion at Sydney's Bondi Beach, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, a day after a shooting.
Chikli criticized the focus on firearms as insufficient, arguing the authorities should address the ideological drivers and networks behind the violence. "It’s not the shotgun who killed these innocent people. It is the man behind it," he said, adding that Australian leadership had failed to condemn incitement and name "radical Islam" explicitly.
Community Warnings
Dionne Taylor, communications manager for the Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council, told Fox News Digital that community leaders raised formal warnings with federal and state officials about escalating threats. "It started with hate speech. Then graffiti. Then public demonstrations. Then firebombing synagogues, preschools, people’s homes, people’s cars. And now murder," she said, noting that a detailed report by Australia’s special envoy to combat antisemitism was acknowledged but not implemented.
Aftermath and International Reactions
Chikli visited Australia after the attack and attended victims' funerals. He compared Australian leadership to what he described as U.S. administrations that, in his view, differ in willingness to confront Islamic extremism. Albanese’s office emphasized the need to counter extremist ideology through education and national action while investigations into the attack continue.
Key facts: The Bondi attack claimed 15 lives including a 10-year-old girl and a Holocaust survivor; authorities report that suspects showed signs of being motivated by Islamic State-inspired ideology and flags were found in their vehicle.
