A monstrous, targeted attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach has left dozens dead and wounded, a horrific reminder that evil still stalks public life even in places long considered safe. Australian authorities have called the December 14 assault a terrorist incident after gunmen sprayed a crowd celebrating faith and family, turning a night of light into one of blood and mourning. The world should be unified in grief for the victims and in righteous anger toward the ideology that produced this atrocity.
Witness accounts and footage show heroic bystanders and first responders risking everything to save lives as the shooters opened fire from an elevated footbridge, and investigators have already discovered improvised explosive devices at the scene. This was not random mayhem; it was a deliberate, antisemitic attack on a community marking a holy festival, and it must be called out for what it is without equivocation. We must applaud the brave souls who tackled attackers and aided the wounded, and we must also demand that governments treat this as the terrorism it plainly is.
As conservative voices on Newsmax rightly stressed this morning, people of faith must stand shoulder to shoulder in moments like this and refuse to be intimidated into silence. Rep. Mark Harris joined Wake Up America to condemn the slaughter and reminded viewers that faith communities provide the moral backbone Americans and peaceful people everywhere rely upon in dark hours. Religious solidarity isn’t mere sentiment; it’s protection, witness, and the first line of defense against those who wish to destroy our way of life.
Political leaders must stop the soft-soap and finger-pointing and do two things at once: honor the victims and take concrete steps to prevent future attacks. When foreign leaders like Israel’s prime minister warn that policies emboldening extremist ideology have consequences, we ignore those warnings at our peril — now is the time for tough counterterrorism, not excuses. Our side must press for clear action, not platitudes, and hold those in power accountable when communities of faith are targeted.
We also need honest conversations about how the attackers obtained weapons, how radicalization happens in plain sight, and how communities can be better protected without surrendering liberty. Reports already show licensed firearms and planned explosive devices at the scene, raising painful questions that deserve immediate answers from law enforcement and policymakers. Conservatives should lead on protecting innocent life, strengthening law enforcement, and cutting off the funding and networks that feed murderous hate.
Hardworking Americans who believe in God, family, and country should pray for the victims, support Jewish neighbors, and demand that our leaders respond with strength and clarity. This is a test of our common decency and our courage — we either stand united with the persecuted or we let fear and appeasement win. Let faith communities across the political and religious spectrum stand together now, louder than the hate that seeks to silence them, and let our nation lead in defending the innocent everywhere.
