{"id":90745,"date":"2025-12-14T08:57:31","date_gmt":"2025-12-14T13:57:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=90745"},"modified":"2025-12-14T12:28:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T17:28:20","slug":"world-leaders-react-to-deadly-chanukah-terror-attack-in-sydney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/world-leaders-react-to-deadly-chanukah-terror-attack-in-sydney\/","title":{"rendered":"World leaders react to deadly Chanukah terror attack in Sydney"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"article-meta-str\">\n<p>&nbsp;(<em><span class=\"light-weight-content\">JNS.org<\/span><\/em><span class=\"light-weight-content\">) \u2013&nbsp;<\/span>World leaders offered varied reactions to Sunday\u2019s terrorist attack against Jews in Sydney, ranging from offering general condolences, including by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to accusing the Australian government of allowing antisemitic hatred to fester, as alleged by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_90746\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251225831-1320x880-1.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-90746\" class=\"wp-image-90746 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251225831-1320x880-1-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251225831-1320x880-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251225831-1320x880-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251225831-1320x880-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251225831-1320x880-1.webp 1320w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-90746\" class=\"wp-image-90746 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251225831-1320x880-1-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251225831-1320x880-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251225831-1320x880-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251225831-1320x880-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251225831-1320x880-1.webp 1320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-90746\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Armed police work at the scene after a shooting incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Dec. 14, 2025. Photo by David Gray \/ AFP via Getty Images.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Following the attack by at least two shooters on participants in a Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach, in which at least 10 people were killed, Sa\u2019ar wrote on X: \u201cThese are the results of the antisemitic rampage in the streets of Australia over the past two years, with the antisemitic and inciting calls of \u2018Globalize the Intifada\u2019 that were realized today. The Australian government, which received countless warning signs, must come to its senses!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee endorsed Sa\u2019ar\u2019s remarks, writing on X: \u201cHorrific attack in Australia. Gideon Saar and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs [have] it right.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sa\u2019ar also criticized Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese\u2019s initial reaction to the attack, parts of which were seen in videos posted online. \u201cWords you will not find in the PM statement: Jews. Antisemitism. Terror,\u201d Sa\u2019ar wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Amichai Chikli, Israel\u2019s minister for Diaspora affairs and combating antisemitism, reposted criticism to the same effect. Albanese, the leader of the Australian Labor Party and a critic of Israel\u2019s war against Hamas in Gaza, had written: \u201cThe scenes in Bondi are shocking and distressing. Police and emergency responders are on the ground working to save lives. My thoughts are with every person affected.\u201d He added details about his office\u2019s liaison with the police.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later on Sunday, Albanese gave a live&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AlboMP\/status\/2000181940398563492\">statement&nbsp;<\/a>to reporters in which he spoke about \u201ca devastating terrorist incident at Bondi at the Hanukkah by the Sea celebration. This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith, [was] an act of evil antisemitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation,\u201d Albaese said.<\/p>\n<p>Sa\u2019ar also criticized Starmer\u2019s laconic reaction to the massacre, who had written: \u201cDeeply distressing news from Australia. The United Kingdom sends our thoughts and condolences to everyone affected by the appalling attack in Bondi Beach. I\u2019m being kept updated on the developing situation.\u201d Sa\u2019ar&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/gidonsaar\/status\/2000147065372803547\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">replied<\/a>: \u201cDistinguished PM, the terror attack targeted Jews.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Roberta Metsola, the president of the European Parliament,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/EP_President\/status\/2000133803927597418?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote&nbsp;<\/a>in a statement: \u201cAbsolutely horrified to see the images emerging of the appalling attack on so many people on Bondi Beach as Hannukkah celebrations began in Sydney. All my thoughts are with the victims and the wider Jewish community in Australia and beyond. This light will not be extinguished.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon published a statement similar to that of his Australian counterpart, writing, \u201cI am shocked by the distressing scenes at Bondi, a place that Kiwis visit every day. My thoughts, and the thoughts of all New Zealanders, are with those affected.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He mentioned how New Zealanders and Australians are \u201cfamily,\u201d but did not mention Jews.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/HonTonyAbbott\/status\/2000145984215789901\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote&nbsp;<\/a>on X: \u201cThe events at Bondi Beach are an absolute atrocity. A horror for the victims and a massive escalation of the hatred directed at Australia\u2019s Jewish community. There should be no place in Australia for the kind of evil we\u2019ve seen this evening.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">French President Emmanuel Macron&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/EmmanuelMacron\/status\/2000164606396792970\">acknowledged&nbsp;<\/a>in a statement about the attack that it was \u201can antisemitic terrorist attack\u201d at a Chanukah celebration. \u201cFrance extends its thoughts to the victims, the injured and their loved ones. We share the pain of the Australian people and will continue to fight relentlessly against antisemitic hatred, which hurts us all, wherever it strikes,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote that he \u201cstrongly condemns the ghastly terrorist attack\u201d on \u201cpeople celebrating the first day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On behalf of the people of India, Modi added, \u201cI extend my sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. We stand in solidarity with the people of Australia in this hour of grief. India has zero tolerance towards terrorism and supports the fight against all forms and manifestations of terrorism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said he was \u201cshocked and appalled by the gun attack targeting Sydney\u2019s Jewish community.\u201d Antisemitism, he added, \u201chas been one of the most consistent and pernicious prejudices throughout history, providing the foundation for murderous outrages in many eras and many places.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alan Shatter, a former justice minister of Ireland, who is Jewish, accused in a statement the Irish government under Martin of fueling the kind of hate that led to the Bondi Beach attack.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLike the Australian government, the Irish government\u2019s unbalanced toxic rhetoric and conduct relating to the Israel\/Gaza war has contributed to escalating antisemitism in Ireland,\u201d Shatter wrote in a statement. Ireland has accused Israel of perpetrating a genocide in Gaza.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Foreign Ministry of Qatar\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MofaQatar_EN\/status\/2000181235314815075\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a>&nbsp;also did not mention that it was directed at Jews, expressing \u201ccondemnation and denunciation\u201d of the attack that \u201ctook place on Bondi Beach near Sydney, Australia, which \u201cresulted in deaths and injuries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Qatar has a \u201cfirm stance against violence, terrorism and criminal acts, regardless of the motives or reasons,\u201d and its foreign ministry conveyed \u201ccondolences to the families of the victims\u201d and wishes \u201cfor a speedy recovery for the injured,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, whom Israel has accused of \u201cantisemitic behavior\u201d following his support for singling out Israel for condemnation, while failing to condemn attacks against it, wrote: \u201cI am horrified and condemn today\u2019s heinous, deadly attack on Jewish families gathered in Sydney to celebrate Hannukah.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guterres added: \u201cMy heart is with the Jewish community worldwide on this first day of Hannukah, a festival celebrating the miracle of peace and light vanquishing darkness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">German Chancellor Friedrich Merz tweeted on Sunday morning that Chanukah menorahs, \u201cwhich are lit in homes and on squares, are a sign of hope and confidence. Let us let their light shine together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He did not mention the attack in that post, but followed up with a statement saying that \u201cthe antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach during Chanukah leaves me speechless. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. This is an attack on our shared values. We must put a stop to this antisemitism\u2014here in Germany and worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"Tumblr\",\"Email\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"World%20leaders%20react%20to%20deadly%20Chanukah%20terror%20attack%20in%20Sydney\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,27,25],"tags":[14934,14935,8790,8795,8788],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90745"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90745"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90745\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90747,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90745\/revisions\/90747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}