URGENT UPDATE: Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared that Australia has broken its promise to the Jewish community following the recent terror attack at Bondi Beach. Speaking at the “Light Against Terror: Chanukah Massacre Memorial” event hosted by the Australian Jewish Association (AJA) on November 15, 2023, Morrison expressed deep concern over the rise of antisemitism in the country.
“The promise of Australia to the Australian Jewish community has been broken,” Morrison stated, emphasizing that the attack was the result of an environment that has allowed antisemitism to thrive. “This extremist Islamic terrorist attack last Sunday was the culmination of years of a climate that has put down roots and grown,” he added.
Morrison lamented the impact on the Jewish community, stating that Australia once represented a safe haven for Holocaust survivors. “It shatters my heart that the generations that followed them now consider fleeing this place of safety for another,” he said, highlighting the fear now gripping Jewish Australians.
The October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel accelerated this antisemitism, Morrison noted, stressing that the community has suffered profound losses, including the recent murder of their rabbi. “It has desecrated everything we love about our country,” he declared.
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott voiced his solidarity with the Jewish community, expressing grief for the victims and anger over the nation’s moral decline. “I’ve never been able to understand antisemitism,” Abbott remarked. He urged Jewish Australians to stay, asserting, “Australia is better than this, and it’s our duty to make it so.”
Keynote speaker Amichai Chikli, Israel’s diaspora affairs minister, traveled to Australia immediately following the attack. In a poignant address, he remarked on the shocking emergence of violence and antisemitism in a country previously known for its peace. “Australia was so quiet and peaceful,” Chikli said, noting that the incidents of violence have surged since October 7.
Chikli criticized the lack of serious responses from authorities regarding antisemitic protests displaying flags of terrorist organizations. “Unfortunately, nothing serious has been done. This is a horrific terror attack, but it surprised none of us,” he stated.
He commended the bravery of individuals who confronted the terrorists, including Ahmad El Ahmed and Boris and Sophia Gurman, urging the community to take pride in their courage. Chikli also acknowledged the support from non-Jewish Australians who stood in solidarity, noting their presence at Bondi Beach.
Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, spiritual leader of Chabad of Bondi and father-in-law to the slain Rabbi Eli Schlanger, expressed his grief and resilience during the memorial. The event served not only as a tribute to those lost but as a call to action against the rising tide of hatred and violence.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of this attack, the urgent question remains: what actions will be taken to restore safety and solidarity for Jewish Australians? Authorities are under pressure to address the growing concerns over antisemitism and ensure that such tragedies do not happen again.
This story is developing, and more updates are expected as the situation unfolds. Share this news to raise awareness and foster discussion on the urgent need for action against hate.
