Australia Launches Hearings on Bondi Beach Attack and Rising Antisemitism
National Inquiry into Antisemitism and the Bondi Beach Attack
By Christine Chen
Overview of the Bondi Beach Mass Shooting
SYDNEY, May 4 (Reuters) - Australia began public hearings on Monday into the Bondi Beach mass shooting in December, part of a wide-ranging national inquiry with witnesses set to give evidence on their experience of escalating antisemitism in the country.
The attack, which left 15 dead at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration, fuelled calls for tougher gun controls and more action to tackle hatred towards Jews, and followed a spate of antisemitic incidents in Australia.
Leadership and Scope of the Royal Commission
Virginia Bell, a retired judge appointed to lead the Royal Commission inquiry, said the first block of public hearings would investigate the nature and prevalence of antisemitism in the country.
Link to Global Events
"The sharp spike in antisemitism that we've witnessed in Australia has been mirrored in other Western countries and seems clearly linked to events in the Middle East," Bell said.
"It's important that people understand how quickly those events can prompt ugly displays of hostility towards Jewish Australians simply because they're Jews."
Public Participation and Witness Testimonies
The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion has received more than 5,700 submissions from the public.
Key Witnesses
Witnesses on Monday will include the daughter of a Bondi attack victim, community leaders and a Holocaust survivor. Some witnesses have also been granted anonymity due to concerns they could be subjected to "hostile attention".
Personal Experiences Shared
"It's fitting that we begin by taking evidence from ordinary members of the Jewish community about their lived experience of antisemitism," Bell said.
"We've received numbers of submissions from Jews describing antisemitic incidents or courses of conduct."
Interim Report and Future Hearings
The inquiry released its interim report last Thursday that advised increased security around Jewish public events and further counter-terrorism and gun reforms among 14 initial recommendations.
Next Steps in the Inquiry
A second block of hearings later in the month will focus on the circumstances leading up to the Bondi Beach attack and issues raised in the interim report.
The commission is due to deliver its final report on December 14, exactly one year on from the Bondi Beach attack.
(Reporting by Christine Chen in Sydney; Editing by Sonali Paul)
