Antisemitic Attack in Bondi Beach, AU

The Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation condemns in the strongest possible terms the violent antisemitic attack that took place in Bondi Beach, Australia. This act of hatred is an assault not only on the Jewish community, but on the dignity and safety of all people. Violence of this nature tears at the threads of our shared humanity.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu consistently reminded us that we are bound together in a delicate network of interdependence. As he said, “My humanity is caught up in yours, for we can only be human together.” When any community is attacked because of who they are, all of us are diminished.

At a moment when global conflict, fear, and pain are already raw, we must resist the temptation to weaponise one set of violations to justify another. We must be able to vociferously condemn Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and at the same time to protect and stand up for the safety of all Jewish people around the world.

Hate cannot be excused by hurt. One community’s trauma can never be used to rationalise violence, humiliation, or discrimination against another. This principle is not only moral; it is essential to preventing cycles of vengeance that destroy us all.

Antisemitism is a scourge. Islamophobia is a scourge. Racism, xenophobia, and bigotry in every form are scourges. They are connected expressions of dehumanisation, and they can only be confronted together.

We call on political leaders, community organisations, and all people of conscience to denounce this attack unequivocally; to stand with the victims and the Jewish community in solidarity; and to commit to building societies where religious identities are not feared but honoured.

This is a moment to reaffirm the truth at the heart of Archbishop Tutu’s life’s work: there are no outsiders in the human family. Our future depends on our ability to refuse hatred, to break the logic of retaliation, and to choose to always stand with moral courage for the sanctity of human life.

The Foundation seeks to support the very hard work of finding each other across divides. We stand ready to support all those working for justice, safety, and healing, and to champion the courageous work of building communities rooted in dignity, compassion, and shared humanity.

Issued by the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:

Solange Nolan, Head of Advancement

solange@tutu.org.za