A vigil planned for Sydney Town Hall on the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks has been condemned by political leaders, as hundreds gathered at Bondi Beach to mourn the dead.
The event, titled “Don’t let Israel steal the date”, has been widely condemned as highly inflammatory and insensitive. Premier Chris Minns was among those to criticise it.
At Bondi Beach on Wednesday, 7 October, hundreds took part in a service at the Bondi Pavilion to mark three years since the attack in Israel. The attack largely took place at a music festival and several kibbutz, and left 1200 people dead. The Gaza-based militant group Hamas took 251 people hostage.
The Israeli ambassador remembered the moment he found out about the attack, which began at 6.29am Israel time.
“Young Israelis went out to dance at the Nova Music Festival and never came home,” said Israel’s Ambassador to Australia Hillel Newman.
“Israelis who believed in peace … they were all murdered just for being Jews and Israelis.”
He said there was a “direct line” between the October 7 attack and the Bondi Beach attack, where 15 people were gunned down at a Chanukah celebration last year.
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane said evil and hate had come “closer to home” since October 7.
“Our community has woken up again and again to graffiti, vandalism, firebombings,” she said.
Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler said the violence in Israel had a deep impact on Australian Jews, which was made stronger by the Bondi attack.
“Terror and antisemitism will not define Jewish life in Australia,” Mr Leibler said.
“We will continue to live proudly and openly as Jews, and nothing these groups do will weaken the bond between Australian Jewry, Australia and Israel.”
The Anti-Defamation Commissioner also took aim at the Town Hall event in its own anniversary statement.
“While Jewish Australians mourn their dead, activists will hold a ‘vigil’ at Sydney Town Hall on the anniversary of the massacre,” said Dr Dvir Abramovich.
“Imagine a candlelight vigil for the hijackers on September 11.”
Dr Abramovich called on non-Jewish Australians to stand with the Jewish community.
“To every Australian who is not Jewish: today we need you beside us. Light a candle with us.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia stood against antisemitism and racism in all its forms, and against Hamas, which he said must disarm and play no role in Palestine’s future. He said Australia continued to push for the Gaza peace plan, and mourned Australian Galit Carbone.
Mr Albanese said the Australian Government welcomed genuine moves towards a just and lasting peace, with the State of Israel and the State of Palestine living side by side.
“Such a future would be the greatest victory of humanity over hatred,” he stated.
“That is the future we must strive for together.”
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