Sydney, Australia (May 26, 2026)

Australian police are facing renewed scrutiny after a public inquiry heard that no dedicated threat assessment was prepared for the Chanukah gathering at Bondi Beach where a mass shooting killed 15 people last December.

The Royal Commission examining antisemitism and social cohesion was told that New South Wales Police did not complete a specific security assessment for the open-air Jewish community event, despite warnings from communal security officials about heightened risks. Testimony indicated that such an assessment could have helped align police resources with the threat environment at the time.

The inquiry also heard that a Jewish security organization had raised concerns before the event, pointing to the visibility of Jewish families in a public setting and the broader rise in antisemitic hostility across Australia. A request for a fixed police presence at the beach was not approved, with authorities instead relying on other patrol arrangements.

Senior police officials acknowledged that the handling of the event is now being examined closely, including whether Chanukah gatherings should have received planning similar to other major Jewish holidays. The event’s open setting, expected attendance, and inability of private security volunteers to carry weapons have all become central issues in the commission’s review.

The hearings have also focused on the wider security climate following the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023. National security officials told the commission that antisemitic intimidation and violence escalated over time, contributing to Australia’s decision in August 2024 to raise its terrorism threat level from possible to probable.

Investigators have described a pattern of antisemitic incidents targeting homes, schools, synagogues, vehicles, and Jewish-owned businesses before the Bondi attack. Intelligence officials also linked Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to separate antisemitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne, while indicating that other suspected foreign-backed activity could not be definitively proven.

The commission’s latest hearings underscore growing questions over whether authorities adequately responded to the danger facing Jewish Australians before the Bondi massacre, and whether stronger coordination between police, intelligence agencies, and community security groups could help prevent future attacks.