'Australia was warned about threat': Israel on Bondi beach attack on Jewish gathering

In the wake of the deadly attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Oren Marmorstein, spokesperson for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, spoke to CNN-News18, sharing concerns over targeted attacks against the Jewish community.

“Jews are being targeted,” Marmorstein said, adding that there appears to be a clear pattern behind the violence.

Marmorstein acknowledged that warnings had been issued to Australia about potential threats, but pointed out that calls for a global intifada were made openly on Australian soil, with large gatherings occurring despite the risks.

The incident has pushed diplomats to step up and coordinate urgently. Both the Australian and Israeli foreign ministers spoke on Sunday to discuss the situation and the measures being taken to protect Jewish communities in the country.

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Marmorstein’s comments come as Australia mourns the victims of the antisemitic attack, with authorities assessing how such incidents could have been prevented.

He also stressed the strong ties between Israel and India, stating, “PM Modi is the closest friend of Israel.”

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In points: What happened at Bondi beach?

• An annual Jewish community event, “Chanukah by the Sea,” was being held at Archer Park near Bondi Beach, attended by hundreds of families and people celebrating the first night of Hanukkah, an important jewish festival of lights.

• Shortly before 6:47 pm local time, two gunmen—a father and son, identified as Sajid and Naveed Akram—parked a vehicle and began firing high-powered rifles from an elevated footbridge towards the crowd in the park.

• Amid the panic and gunfire, a bystander, named Ahmed al Ahmed, bravely confronted and tackled one of the gunmen, successfully disarming him and forcing him to retreat, saving countless lives.

• Emergency services were called, and a rapid police response led to a confrontation with the gunmen on the footbridge. One attacker, the father (Sajid Akram), was shot by police, and the second attacker (Naveed Akram) was shot, critically injured, and arrested.

• Police then secured the area and later discovered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the gunmen’s car, confirming the scale and pre-meditated nature of the antisemitic terrorist plot, which left at least 16 people dead.