AJC’s Response to the Bondi Beach Attack
As the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, American Jewish Committee (AJC) is harnessing the full power of our global advocacy network to demand immediate action from world leaders. The Bondi Beach attack is yet another example of why governments must go further than implementing security measures to thwart the surging threat of antisemitism. We are working to ensure they understand this threat and act accordingly.
***Updated as of Jan. 12, 2026 ***
To the Australian Government:
AJC is urging the Australian Government to immediately adopt and fully implement the 2025 Plan to Combat Antisemitism in Australia, prioritizing:
Strengthening and enforcing hate crime and anti-discrimination laws
Countering antisemitism on social media
Increasing antisemitism education and ensuring safe, inclusive learning environments
After the bombing of the synagogue in Melbourne, in December of 2024, Australia’s Special Envoy Jillian Segal released a plan to counter antisemitism in the country, including 49 concrete actions for educational institutions, media, and online platforms. Considering the most recent deadly attack on Bondi Beach, it must be implemented immediately. (As of January 8, the Prime Minister of Australia has announced a Royal Commission on antisemitism in wake of the Bondi Beach massacre, an important next step.)
Special Envoy Segal’s plan includes recommendations that clearly align with the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism—a non-legally binding set of best-practice recommendations developed by the U.S. State Department and international partners to guide governments and societies in countering antisemitism across diverse contexts. They have been endorsed by more than 40 countries and international organizations.
Australia has already endorsed these guidelines–now they need to implement the plan to ensure a comprehensive response. In the aftermath of the Bondi Beach attack, AJC believes the government of Australia should begin by prioritizing three components:
1. Strengthening and enforcing hate crime and anti-discrimination laws
Enforcing hate crime and anti-discrimination laws is essential to demonstrate that antisemitism is unacceptable, hold perpetrators accountable, and prevent future offenses. In light of several violent attacks on the Jewish community—including the Bondi Beach massacre—all available legal measures must be fully applied. Foreign influence must be addressed as several previous antisemitic attacks in Australia were linked to the Iranian regime and this recent attack, carried out by homegrown violent extremists, was reportedly inspired by ISIS.
Australia must:
- review - with an eye to strengthen - federal, state, and territory laws dealing with antisemitic and other hateful or intimidating conduct;
- consider whether hate crime legislation needs updating, including a national hate crime database and consistent legal approaches;
- strengthen intelligence and counterterrorism capabilities to counter such foreign influences and expand cooperation with the U.S. and other allies in these areas.
2. Countering antisemitism and hate on social media
The Australian government recently demonstrated its ability to take action on social media when it ordered social media companies operating in the country to block access for children under the age of 16. Antisemitism and other forms of hatred and disinformation are widespread and rapidly evolving online, with real-world consequences, including radicalization to violence and the environment in which massacres like Bondi Beach take place.
Australia must:
- strengthen online protections by reviewing international digital safety laws for possible use in Australia;
- improve content moderation and transparency;
- limiting bots and anonymous hate actors;
- work with regulators and platforms to prevent AI from amplifying antisemitism, along with the ability of malign foreign actors to influence Australian audiences.
3. Increase antisemitism education and ensure safe, inclusive learning environments
Education is essential for identifying and countering antisemitism, including Holocaust remembrance and combating Holocaust denial and distortion. Education also sensitizes law enforcement and breaks down prejudice by fostering understanding of Jewish culture and contributions to society, helping to dismantle prejudice. Many countries and intergovernmental organizations have linked antisemitism prevention to broader efforts to celebrate Jewish heritage and strengthen Jewish life.
Australia must:
- embed comprehensive antisemitism education across national and state school curricula;
- expand teaching on Jewish history and identity;
- strengthen training for educators and public officials, while ensuring universities are fully accountable for preventing antisemitism through effective policies, transparent reporting, and cultural change;
- investigate foreign funding sources.
As of December 29, AJC is calling on the Australian Government to establish a national Royal Commission to examine the escalation of antisemitism in Australia and to ensure justice and accountability in connection with the Bondi Beach attack. The Australian Jewish community has been united in its call for an independent inquiry to understand how antisemitism has reached current levels and to ensure a comprehensive, government-wide response with full accountability.
To the U.S. Government:
AJC is calling on the U.S. government to:
Department of Justice - Investigate foreign-backed antisemitic activity and online influence operations targeting Jewish communities in the U.S. and allied democracies, particularly following the incidents at synagogues in New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles which preceded the massacre at Bondi Beach.
National Security Agency - Strengthen intelligence cooperation—including on extremist networks, disinformation, emerging technologies, and law enforcement coordination—to prevent transnational antisemitic violence like the Bondi Beach attack.
State Department - Empower the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism to remain engaged around the globe and position Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun to be a powerful voice to counter antisemitism globally.
To Members of the U.S. Congress:
AJC is calling on Members of the United States Congress to:
Fund the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism so that it is fully resourced and staffed to address antisemitism globally.
Issue public statements that unequivocally condemn this attack. Share your statement broadly, not just with the Jewish community, at community events, on your social media platforms, and other public channels.
Attend public menorah lightings in your communities and acknowledge the tragic attack in Australia during your remarks.
Investigate foreign-backed antisemitic activity and online influence operations targeting Jewish communities in the U.S. and allied democracies
To Foreign Governments:
AJC is calling on foreign governments to:
Ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities.
Work closely with Jewish community leaders and professional security experts to meet urgent safety needs, including enhanced police protection and sustained public funding for security upgrades at Jewish schools, synagogues, and community institutions. Treat Jewish institutions as protected communal infrastructure.
Demonstrate principled leadership and speak out unequivocally.
Condemn the horrific Bondi Beach attack and antisemitism wherever it appears- clearly, consistently, and without delay, including when it is cloaked as anti-Zionism. Affirm that antisemitism is a fundamental threat to democratic society, and amplify these messages through public statements, social media, and visible participation in Jewish communal moments of solidarity.
Fully investigate and prosecute antisemitic hate crimes.
Ensure prompt, thorough investigation and prosecution of antisemitic crimes, recognizing that visible accountability is a powerful deterrent and an essential obligation of democratic governance.
Adopt and implement comprehensive national strategies to counter antisemitism.
Develop whole-of-government strategies with clear responsibilities across ministries and all levels of government, measurable benchmarks and timelines, and effective coordination mechanisms to ensure implementation and accountability.
Appoint and empower a national coordinator on antisemitism.
Designate a senior national coordinator with the authority, resources, and mandate to lead implementation of national strategy, coordinate across government, and engage regularly with Jewish communities and other affected groups.
Engage a whole-of-society approach.
Empower leaders across education, civil society, faith communities, media, and the private sector to confront antisemitism, recognizing that government action alone is insufficient to address its root causes and contemporary manifestations.
Improve monitoring, data collection, and consultation.
Strengthen monitoring and reporting of antisemitism through accurate, disaggregated hate-crime data, standardized definitions, and regular, structured consultation with Jewish communities.
Examine and counter foreign influence and coordinated threats.
Assess potential foreign influence, coordination, or financing behind antisemitic attacks and campaigns, including the involvement of malign state or non-state actors, and respond through appropriate legal, security, and diplomatic channels. Iran, for example, has been involved in countless terrorist attacks around the world, including in Australia.
American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, is uniquely positioned to lead this truly global battle. With 40 global offices, trusted relationships with leaders in more than 110 countries, and 40-plus partnerships with Jewish communities around the world, AJC works every day to ensure Jews and Israel are safe and thriving.
AJC is advocating for a worldwide whole-of-society approach to counter surging antisemitism and has developed key resources in this fight. AJC’s Global Call to Action Against Antisemitism is designed to mobilize governments and communities against anti-Jewish hate and has led to numerous governments taking concrete actions in the fights against antisemitism. Endorsed by 47 Jewish organizations across 35 countries and three multi-country umbrella groups, many of its recommendations were later incorporated into the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism—a landmark international framework launched last year by the U.S. State Department and supported by more than 30 countries and multilateral organizations.
