Australia Opens Public Hearings into Bondi Beach Mass Shooting and Rising Antisemitism

Mintesinot Niggusie

Australia has begun public hearings into the December Bondi Beach mass shooting, launching a national inquiry examining escalating antisemitism and the circumstances surrounding one of the country's deadliest attacks in recent years.

The hearings, which opened on Monday, form part of the work of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, which is expected to hear testimony from victims' families, community representatives and survivors as it assesses both the attack and broader patterns of antisemitic incidents across the country.

The December assault, which took place during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, left 15 people dead and triggered renewed debate over gun laws and measures to counter hate-driven violence in Australia.

Leading the inquiry, retired judge Virginia Bell said the first phase of hearings would focus on documenting the scale and nature of antisemitism. She said the rise in incidents in Australia reflects a broader pattern seen in other Western countries, with developments in the Middle East appearing to influence tensions domestically.

She added that the inquiry aims to examine how quickly international events can translate into hostility toward Jewish Australians and to document lived experiences submitted by the public. More than 5,700 submissions have been received by the commission.

On Monday, witnesses include the daughter of a Bondi attack victim, community leaders and a Holocaust survivor. Some participants have been granted anonymity due to concerns over possible harassment.

An interim report released last week recommended increased security at Jewish public events, alongside strengthened counter-terrorism measures and reforms to gun laws.

A second phase of hearings later this month will focus on the circumstances leading up to the Bondi Beach attack and issues identified in the interim findings. The commission is scheduled to deliver its final report on December 14, marking one year since the attack.