Israeli Consul General in New York Ofir Akunis has issued a stark warning following last weekend’s deadly attack at Bondi Beach in Australia, stating that similar assaults could be directed toward the United States and other nations if global leaders fail to condemn extremism and antisemitism with unyielding resolve.
Speaking during an interview on Sunday, Akunis emphasized that extremist groups exploit hesitation from democratic societies. “They will attack you,” he said. “This is the first rule, unfortunately, with the jihadists. If the Western civilization, the Western world continue to reflect weakness, they will attack.”
The consul general specifically cited the Australian incident as evidence of this pattern, noting it involved 15 victims including children and was not about gun violence but rather antisemitism. “This is clearly about antisemitism,” Akunis stated. He also criticized New York City’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, for allegedly tolerating antisemite rhetoric and behavior toward Jewish communities.
Akunis called on city leadership to unequivocally condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which he described as a call for violent destruction. “You must stop it,” he said, stressing that Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people and urging world leaders to speak forcefully against antisemitism. He warned that ignoring antisemitic threats within one’s own country would only invite further consequences.
Closing his remarks, Akunis highlighted the message of Hanukkah: “The light always [prevails over] darkness.” He characterized this light as representing American values, Israeli values, and European values in contrast to radical Islam. “We are together, and we must stand.”
