Jews

Australian PM announces bravery award for heroes of Bondi Beach attack

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans Thursday for a national bravery award to recognize civilians and first responders who confronted the worst of evil during an antisemitic terror attack that left 15 dead and has cast a heavy shadow over the nation's holiday season. Albanese said he plans to establish a special honors system for those who placed themselves in harms way to help during the attack on a beachside Hanukkah celebration, like Ahmed al Ahmed, a Syrian-Australian Muslim who disarmed one of the assailants before being wounded himself. Sajid Akram, who was killed by police during the Dec. 14 attack, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram are accused of perpetrating Australia's worst massacre since 1996. Speaking at a press conference after a Christmas Day lunch at a charitable foundation in Sydney, Albanese described a Christmas defined by a sharp contrast between extremist violence and the best of humanity. This Christmas is a different one because of th

Bondi Beach attack raises fears of Islamic State's resurgence in Asia

The extremist network has expressed admiration for the shooting - and while not officially claiming responsibility has acknowledged the influence of their ideology on the gunmen

Israeli Cabinet approves 19 new settlements in occupied West Bank

The approval increases the number of settlements in the West Bank by nearly 50 per cent during the current government's tenure

Mamdani revamps hiring after old antisemitic remarks prompt aide to quit

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said he did not know about the antisemitic posts and would not have hired the woman who made them if he had

Kneejerk reactions not enough to stop the next Bondi Beach attack

Faced by such a targeted act of violence after years of increasing antisemitic attacks, it's unsurprising that Jewish Australians feel they've been left unprotected

Bondi Beach mass shooting inspired by Islamic State: Australian police

A mass shooting in which 15 people were killed during a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach was a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State, Australia's federal police commissioner Krissy Barrett said Tuesday. The suspects were a father and son, aged 50 and 24, authorities have said. The older man was shot dead while his son was being treated at a hospital on Tuesday. A news conference by political and law enforcement leaders on Tuesday was the first time officials confirmed their beliefs about the suspects' ideologies. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the remarks were based on evidence obtained, including the presence of Islamic State flags in the vehicle that has been seized. There are 25 people still being treated in hospitals after Sunday's massacre, 10 of them in critical condition. Three of them are patients in a children's hospital. Also among them is a man who was captured on video appearing to tackle and disarm one assailant, before pointing the man's weapon

Bondi Beach attack spurs worldwide mourning and calls for tougher gun laws

Hanukkah events and vigils took place in central Melbourne on Monday evening, with landmarks lit up to commemorate the Bondi victims

Australia Hanukkah shooting: US Jewish groups urge stricter event security

Leading Jewish groups in the United States are urging all Jewish organisations to ratchet up security measures at public events -- including restrictions on access -- following the deadly mass shooting that targeted a Hanukkah celebration on a popular Australian beach. The groups -- including three which specialise in security issues -- said Jewish public events in the coming days should be open only to people who had been screened after preregistering. Provide details of location, time, and other information only upon confirmed registration, the groups' advisory said. Have access control (locks and entrance procedures) to only allow known, confirmed registrants/attendees into the facility/event. Coinciding with this urgent appeal for increased precautions, some rabbis said their synagogues would proceed with large-scale celebrations, intended to demonstrate resilience. The mass shooting is the latest reminder of the Jewish community's longstanding reality of having to factor securi

Australian PM Albanese grapples with fallout after Jewish massacre

Last December, offenders broke into the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea, Victoria, and spread accelerant in what police described as a probable terrorist attack

Israel clears proposal to bring remaining 5,800 Jews from India's northeast

Israel's government has approved a proposal to bring all the remaining 5,800 Jews from India's north-eastern region, commonly referred to as Bnei Menashe, over the next five years. The Government of Israel on Sunday approved a "significant, wide-scale initiative" to complete the Aliyah (immigration) of the Bnei Menashe community from northeastern India, the Jewish Agency for Israel said. "This historic decision will bring approximately 5,800 members of the community to Israel by 2030, including 1,200 already approved in 2026," it said. It will be the first time that the Jewish Agency will be leading the entire pre-immigration process - eligibility interviews together with the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the Conversion Authority, and the Population and Immigration Authority - organising the flights for eligible candidates and managing their absorption in Israel. The plan is estimated to require a special budget of 90 million shekels (USD 27 million) to cover the costs of the flights

NYC's Jewish community divided as city faces potential 1st Muslim mayor

New York City's Jewish community -- the largest in the United States -- abounds with anxiety and friction ahead of Tuesday's election that could give the city its first Muslim mayor. That candidate, Zohran Mamdani, has won over many progressive Jewish voters with vows to make the city more affordable and equitable. Yet, he has alarmed many other Jews -- in New York and across the US -- with harsh criticism of Israel, including saying its military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide. The tensions within the politically diverse community were illustrated on Friday in a sermon by Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, who leads the Central Synagogue in Manhattan, one of the country's most prominent Reform synagogues. She pointedly criticised Mamdani's words about Israel, yet declined to endorse either of his opponents, Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, and pleaded for New York's Jews to minimise virulent political infighting. It endangers all of us: It's the way we are trying to impose a lit

UK confronts rising long-term terror threat linked to ongoing Gaza conflict

The fatal Manchester attack by Jihad Al-Shamie has heightened UK security concerns since Oct. 7, 2023, though his motives and path to the standoff remain unclear

Weakness brings more terrorism: Netanyahu on Manchester synagogue attack

The attack took place in Manchester's Crumpsall, where a car struck pedestrians and a man was stabbed, killing at least two and leaving three others critically injured

US criticism of India over Ukraine 'deeply troubling', says Jewish group

American Jewish Committee defends India over Russian oil purchases, urging Washington to reset ties after Trump's tariffs and Peter Navarro's "Modi's war" remarks

Fight against antisemitism must not be weaponised: Macron tells Netanyahu

The tensions come after Netanyahu, in mid-August, accused Macron of fuelling antisemitism in France by announcing that the country would recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September

Australia expels Iranian ambassador over alleged antisemitic attacks

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused Iran of directing at least two antisemitic attacks in Australia and said the country is expelling the Iranian ambassador on Tuesday. Albanese said that Australian intelligence services had connected Iran to attacks on a Sydney restaurant and a Melbourne mosque. There has been a steep rise in antisemitic events in the two cities since the Israel-Hamas war began in 2023. ASIO has gathered enough credible intelligence to reach a deeply disturbing conclusion. The Iranian government directed at least two of these attacks. Iran has sought to disguise its involvement but ASIO assesses it was behind the attacks, Albanese told reporters, referring to the main domestic spy agency.

Pakistani man extradited to US for plotting attack at Jewish centre in NYC

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan allegedly conspired to carry out a mass shooting at a Brooklyn Jewish centre on the Hamas attack anniversary, in support of Islamic State

Man charged with hate crime in Boulder attack on 'Zionists' to face court

A man who told investigators he was driven by a desire to kill all Zionist people when he threw Molotov cocktails at demonstrators raising awareness of Israeli hostages is set to make his first appearance in federal court on Friday to face a hate crime charge. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is accused in Sunday's attack on the weekly event in Boulder, which investigators say he planned for a year. The federal case is being adjudicated in Denver, but Soliman was also charged in state court in Boulder Thursday with attempted murder and assault counts as well as counts related to the 18 Molotov cocktails police say he carried to the demonstration. Federal authorities say Soliman, an Egyptian national, has been living in the US illegally. Soliman is represented by state and federal public defenders, who do not comment on their cases to the media. Investigators say Soliman told them he had intended to kill all of the roughly 20 participants at the weekly demonstration on Boulder's popular .

US judge halts deportation of family of Boulder firebombing suspect

A federal judge issued an order Wednesday to prevent the deportation of the wife and five children of an Egyptian man charged in the firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado. US District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher granted a request from the family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman to halt deportation proceedings of his wife and five children who were taken into federal custody Tuesday by US immigration officials. The family members have not been charged in the attack on a group demonstrating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Soliman faces federal hate crime charges and state charges of attempted murder in the Sunday attack in downtown Boulder. US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Wednesday that they are being processed for removal proceedings. It's rare that family members of a person accused of a crime are detained and threatened with deportation. Soliman's wife, 18-year-old daughter, two minor sons and two minor daughters all are Egyptian citizens, the Department of

Boulder community to hold vigil after 12 injured in firebombing attack

As members of the Boulder community reeled from a firebombing attack that injured 12 people demonstrating for the release of Israeli hostages, residents prepared to come together for a vigil Wednesday. Mohamed Sabry Soliman had planned to kill all of the roughly 20 participants in Sunday's demonstration at the popular Pearl Street pedestrian mall, but he threw just two of his 18 Molotov cocktails while yelling Free Palestine, police said. Soliman, an Egyptian man who federal authorities say has been living in the US illegally, didn't carry out his full plan because he got scared and had never hurt anyone before, police wrote in an affidavit. His wife and five children were taken into custody Tuesday by US immigration officials, and the White House said they could be swiftly deported. It's rare that family members of a person accused of a crime are detained and threatened with deportation in this way. Soliman told authorities that no one, including his family, knew about his plans