President Donald Trump urged Jewish Americans to celebrate Hanukkah proudly and without fear following a deadly shooting at a beach event in Australia. Speaking to Fox News, Trump emphasized embracing identity amid rising threats of antisemitism.
"Celebrate proudly – be proud of who you are," Trump said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labeled the mass shooting at the "Hanukkah by the Sea" celebration at Bondi Beach a targeted assault on Jewish Australians, killing at least 11 people and injuring dozens. Albanese declared such hate, violence, and terrorism unacceptable in the nation, vowing to eradicate it. The attack has devastated the country, and, according to Albanese, was an assault on the nation’s core values.
“An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian and every Australian tonight will be, like me, devastated on this attack on our way of life,” Albanese said at a press conference. "There is no place for this hate, violence and terrorism in our nation. Let me be clear. We will eradicate it."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Australian policies for fostering antisemitism, referencing a prior warning letter to Albanese and calling for stronger government action. Netanyahu highlighted a Muslim individual's heroism in stopping a terrorist but stressed the need for official resolve.
"We saw an action of a brave man – turns out a Muslim brave man, and I salute him – that stopped one of these terrorists from killing innocent Jews. But it requires the action of your government, which you are not taking," Netanyahu said. "And you have to, because history will not forgive hesitation and weakness. It will honor action and strength."
Yael Eckstein of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews described the event as a stark warning that terror targets Jews and Christians alike all over the world.