World leaders have expressed condolences and solidarity after 15 people were killed in a mass shooting during Hanukkah celebrations at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday (14 December).
The attack, described by U.S. President Donald Trump as "an anti-Semitic act", has shocked communities across Australia and around the world.
However Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised Australia on the governments antisemitism policy.
"It pours fuel on the antisemitic fire. It encourages the Jew hatred now stalking your streets. Antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent and replace... You must replace weakness with action."
"It (action against antisemitism) didn't happen in Australia. And a terrible thing happened there today. A cold-blooded murder. The number of victims is rising every minute, to my sorrow. We've seen evil at its lowest and we've also seen Jewish bravery at its peak," he added.
Meanwhile, Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged the Australian government to take urgent action against what he described as “an enormous wave of anti-Semitism” affecting the country.
Speaking from Jerusalem, Herzog said, “Our heart misses a beat. The entire nation of Israel misses a beat in this very moment as we pray for the recovery of the wounded, we pray for them and we pray for those who have lost their lives."
"We send our warmest strength from here, and we repeat our alert time and again to the Australian government to seek action and fight against the enormous wave of anti-Semitism which is plaguing Australian society. Let's hope for better news and we hope to see them all healing and here,” Herzog added.
Other international leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, condemned the attack and offered their condolences.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described the incident as a “heinous, deadly attack on Jewish families.”
In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted the courage of first responders and civilians who acted to protect others during the attack.
“For all Australians, our first thoughts are with those in the terrible early hours of their grief."
"We are also thinking of everyone being treated for their injuries and many of whom are alive right now because of the courage and quick action of the New South Wales police and the first responders who rushed to their aid, as well as the courage of everyday Australians who, without hesitating, put themselves in danger in order to keep their fellow Australians safe,” Albanese said.
Authorities credited bystander heroism with preventing further loss of life. Ahmed al-Ahmed, a 43-year-old Sydney fruit shop owner, was filmed tackling one of the gunmen, wresting a rifle from his hands and helping contain the threat.
Following the tragedy, Albanese convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee to review the incident and coordinate the government’s response.
The attack, the deadliest in Australia in three decades, has left Bondi Beach and the broader Jewish community in mourning, as families and friends grieve for victims and the nation reflects on the scale of the violence.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to res...
Afghanistan and Belarus have agreed to advance joint industrial projects, investment and technical cooperation following talks in Minsk, as Kabul s...
Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are drawing up a new programme aimed at boosting bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2030, as the two countries move to deep...
The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues killed in Gaza in April 2024.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment