Anthony Albanese Hits Back at Netanyahu Over Bondi Terror Blame

After Bondi, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led Australia with empathy — not propaganda. He stood with the Jewish community, met victims’ families, dismissed Netanyahu’s criticism, and visited injured Ahmed Al Ahmed, who tackled one of the shooters.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, responding to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that he was to blame for the Bondi Beach shooting by a father‑and‑son gunmen duo, Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, which killed at least 15 people and injured many during a Hanukkah celebration, categorically ruled out any link between the attack and Australia’s decision to recognise the state of Palestine. Albanese denounced the massacre as “an act of pure evil, antisemitism, and terrorism.”​

He announced plans to further strengthen Australia’s already strict gun laws – noting that one attacker held legal firearms licences – and to deploy all available resources to combat terrorist threats. Albanese praised Ahmed al‑Ahmed, the man who tackled one of the gunmen and snatched his weapon, calling him a hero.​​

Netanyahu, while condemning the Bondi attack as “cold‑blooded murder” and antisemitic, directly blamed Albanese and his government’s policies, arguing that recognising a Palestinian state “pours fuel on the antisemitic fire” and encourages terrorism. His comments echoed earlier criticisms that Australia’s stance amounted to “weakness” and “appeasement.”​

In his ABC 7.30 interview, PM Albanese firmly rejected Netanyahu’s claims, saying, “No, I don’t,” when asked whether he thought there was a link between recognition of Palestine and the Bondi killings, and stressing that “overwhelmingly, most of the world recognises a two‑state solution as being the way forward in the Middle East.” Pressed on Netanyahu’s accusation of “weakness and appeasement,” he said his duty as prime minister was to bring Australians together and promote unity at a time of national trauma.​

Albanese described this as a moment of national unity in which Australians “wrap our arms around” members of the Jewish community, contrasting that impulse with the terrorists’ aim of sowing fear and division. He highlighted acts of courage such as shown by Ahmed al‑Ahmed.

Reports identify Ahmed al‑Ahmed as a 43‑year‑old Syrian‑born Australian citizen and father of two daughters, widely hailed as a hero for his role in the Bondi Beach attack on 14 December 2025. A Muslim from Idlib, Syria who moved to Australia in 2006, he is reported to run a small shop – initially misidentified as a fruit stand – in Sydney.​

Ahmed was having coffee with a cousin near Bondi Beach when the shooting erupted at around 6.40–6.45pm during the “Chanukah by the Sea” celebration, attended by hundreds of people. Viral footage shows him crouching behind parked cars as one of the gunmen opened fire on the crowd.​​

When that gunman appeared to pause or run out of ammunition, Ahmed rushed forward from behind, tackled him, wrestled away the long‑barrelled weapon and briefly pointed it at the retreating attacker before placing it on the ground and raising a hand to indicate to police that he was not a threat.

Ahmed’s family say he acted without regard to the victims’ backgrounds, insisting, “He doesn’t discriminate… here in Australia, there’s no difference between one citizen and another,” and noted that he has no prior firearms experience. His story has been widely cited as a powerful example of cross‑community solidarity after an explicitly antisemitic attack.​

Shortly after disarming the gunman, Ahmed was shot multiple times – reports suggest two to five bullets striking his arm and upper body – during continuing fire from the second attacker. He underwent surgery and is recovering at the St George Hospital in Sydney, where Albanese visited him and praised him as “an Australian hero” who “ran towards danger” and embodies “the best of Australians.”​​

Meanwhile, The Hindu has reported the father (Sajid) son (Naveed) duo shooters were of Indian-origin, Hyderabad, India. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has not responded to queries about their being of Indian-origin by authorities in the Philippines, who claimed they visited the country in November, 2025.

The Australian authorities or the PM have not commented on the origin of the shooters, as the issue is under investigation.

New South Wales Police have designated the Bondi shooting as a terrorist incident, and it is being investigated.

Photographs : Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visits the hospital to meet Syrian origin Ahmed el-Ahmed in hospital where he was admitted with bullet injuries after he overpowered one of the Bondi massacre terrorists. Photographs issued by the office of Prime Minister Albanese to the local media.

NEERAJ NANDA is a senior journalist based in Australia.