Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

Is the Bondi Beach massacre the product of lone extremists, or a predictable outcome of repeated antisemitic rhetoric, silence, and moral failure across politics, media, and the Church?

A huge question: Are we collectively to blame for the Bondi Beach terrorist massacre?

Much has been said and written about the Bondi Beach terrorist massacre, but little has been done to find and understand the root cause of the massacre.

To understand the root cause of the Bondi Beach terrorist massacre, we first need to have some understanding of the academic term Stochastic terrorism.

Definition: Stochastic terrorism is an analytic description used in scholarship and counterterrorism to describe a mass-mediated process in which hostile public rhetoric, repeated and amplified across communication platforms, elevates the statistical risk of ideologically motivated violence by unknown individuals, even without direct coordination or explicit orders. With enough repeated lies and hostile rhetoric, the probability of a terror incident approaches 100%.

Repeated Lies and Hostile Rhetoric

Next, we need to look at the language being used regarding Israel and the Jewish people. The typical things being spoken against Jews and the Nation of Israel are listed below with brief explanations and rebuttals:

• ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ – is an antisemitic call to arms with the goal of the eradication of the State of Israel.
• ‘Globalise the Intifada’ – another antisemitic call for elimination of Israel.
• ‘Genocide’ – a demonstrably false claim that the IDF are committing genocide. I have written on this previously.
• ‘75+ years Occupation’ – This phrase and the word ‘occupation, rejects the legitimacy of Israel as it was established by the United Nations’ Partition Plan in 1947. Referring to the ’occupation’ as starting 75+ years ago is referring to the creation of the State of Israel. Not only is this a factually inaccurate read of history, but when someone calls for an end to the occupation starting in 1948, that is a call for the destruction of Israel. From 1948-1967, Jordan occupied the West Bank, and Egypt occupied Gaza. Israel only gained control of those territories after a defensive war, the Six-Day War, against the surrounding Arab countries in 1967. Those using this language want the entirety of the land that is Israel today, the West Bank (Judea & Samaria), and Gaza to be replaced by a Palestinian state. Note that Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005, land for peace, which ended in genocide of Jewish people by Hamas.
• ‘Zios’ – This is a derogatory term popularised by white supremacist David Duke that is increasingly being used by far-left activists to target Jews. Sometimes it’s combined with another word in phrases such as ‘Zio-Nazi’. The term is a shortened version of the word, ‘Zionist’, which may be used by some as a pejorative or as a dog whistle (code word) for Jews.
• ‘Apartheid Israel’ or ‘Israel is an Apartheid state’ – This is an accusation levelled at Israel regarding its policies toward Palestinians for the purpose of making an analogy between Israel and South Africa and promoting a boycott. Israel may not always live up to its ideals, but it cannot be an ‘apartheid state’ by definition since minorities are part of its democratic system and represented in the Knesset (Israeli parliament).
• ‘Settler colonialism’ – Calling Israel a ‘settler-colonialist state’ (or sometimes a ‘European-colonialist state’) refers to the idea that Israel ‘colonised’ or ‘stole’ the land, which is false for several reasons:
  – The majority of the current population of Jewish Israelis were not from Europe but came as refugees from Middle Eastern or North African countries, where their families had lived for centuries. After the creation of Israel, most Jews were kicked out or fled these countries due to persecution.
  – Jews who settled in what was then part of the Ottoman Empire in the late 1800s and early 1900s purchased land from the landowners. They did not attack or steal the land. Israel was established in 1948 following the United Nations’ partition plan, which defined two states, one Jewish and one Arab (which was rejected by the Arabs).
  – Additional land was gained by Israel in a defensive war after Israel declared independence and was attacked by surrounding Arab countries. The West Bank was occupied by Jordan, and Gaza by Egypt, from 1948 until the 1967 war, when Israel gained control over them, as well as the Sinai Peninsula. Various unsuccessful attempts have been made to reach a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians to create a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.
• ‘Today’s Jews and Israel are not the same as biblical Israel’ – This is often touted by people promoting replacement theology (which is a serious error, or even heresy, as it effectively declares God a liar in terms of his eternal covenants. See Covenant note at the end of this article).
  It is worth noting that even the Ashkenazi Jews are 50% or more DNA connected to the Levant.

The above are some common lies that are repeated widely and often by antisemites, some politicians, much on social media, and even in the mainstream media.  Goebbels would be proud of this.

The lies and hostile rhetoric are in no small part due to the influence of Islam. We have, by immigration policy and lack of screening, allowed Islamic State, Hamas, Hezbollah, PIJ, and other such groups to have significant influence on the media narrative. This is further compounded by the unholy marriage of convenience between Islam and Marxist agenda left-wing politics.

Further, the concepts of ‘moderate’ and ‘extreme’ Islam are false.  Islam at its root is not a religion of peace; to think so is a delusion. Mosab Hassan Yousef (son of Hamas, the Green Prince) discusses this here. I will address the issue of ‘moderate’ Islam in a future article.

It is Islam and Marxist agenda left-wing politics working together for the destruction of the Christian West that stokes the fires of hostile rhetoric; and most Aussies have done nothing about it.

The Outcome of Such Hostile Rhetoric

By understanding Stochastic Terrorism, we see that the Bondi Beach terrorist massacre was a direct outcome of the repeated antisemitic, anti-Jewish, and anti-Israel language. To say the terrorists acted alone ignores the fact that the terrorists were part of Islamic State, which facilitates violent jihad globally.

Everyone who spoke the words, or by silence accepted those words/ideology, is culpable.  This means millions of us Aussies bear some level of responsibility. In the land of the ‘fair go’, we have failed miserably.

The Australian Governments (at all levels) have a lot of responsibility, hence the need for a Royal Commission.  However, we cannot just blame governments; we must also address personal responsibility.

We the Ekklesia/Church need to own our part in this horror. This means many Christians must own up to our actions and more so our inactions. Yes! I said by inaction, many of us bear some responsibility. I know many will baulk at this, but we must look at the outcome of being silent or even speaking lies. We cannot tolerate the extreme evil that was perpetuated against innocent Jewish people at Bondi Beach. We were warned generations ago:

‘Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.’
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

And:

‘We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice; we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.’
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

We are facing the same sort of repeated lies and hostile rhetoric that caused the Holocaust in Germany during World War II.  By our inaction, the Bondi Beach terrorist massacre was inevitable, but preventable if we (the Church/Ekklesia) had spoken up.

The massacre was, in my view, Australia’s Kristallnacht. Many Germans tacitly accepted the hateful antisemitic anti-Jewish rhetoric, and we know the outcome of that inaction.

A Call to Repentance and Action

First, we need to repent for the Bondi Beach terrorist massacre and any culpability we as individuals, or as the Church, or as a nation have regarding the deaths, injuries, and harm to the Jewish people.  We have neglected ‘for the Jew first’ in our proclamation of the good news.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (NKJV)

Secondly, we must speak up and act. Here are some things we can all do now.

• Pray for protection and safety in the Land of Israel and for Jewish People around the world (Psalm 122:6)
• Pray for Governmental change, especially in policy
• Write to politicians at all 3 levels of government,
• Stand at rallies/memorials/vigils, etc with the Jewish community
• Actively engage with the local Jewish community in a positive way
• Be active on social media, countering lies and hostile rhetoric
• Speak up to Church leaders and fellow Christians when needed
• Repudiate ‘Replacement Theology’
• Pray for Muslims to find Christ and leave hate
• Pray that the Gospel is proclaimed to every Australian, and then be willing to speak God’s truth to people

Appendix: Covenant note

I add this appendix as it is needed to answer serious errors, and even heresies, circulating in Christianity today. The question of whether God’s covenants with Israel are eternal can be examined through key biblical covenants associated with Abraham, Moses, David, and the New Covenant.

1. The Abrahamic Covenant

The covenant with Abraham is foundational for Israel, promising land, descendants, and blessing. In Genesis 17:7, God says, “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.” The term “everlasting” (Hebrew: *olam*) suggests permanence.

Genesis 17:8 further promises the land of Canaan to Abraham’s offspring “as an everlasting possession.” This covenant is reiterated in Genesis 15:18, where God binds Himself to the promise without conditions on Abraham’s part, emphasising its unilateral and eternal nature. The covenant’s focus on Abraham’s descendants through Isaac (Genesis 17:19) ties it directly to Israel, indicating an enduring commitment.

2. The Mosaic Covenant

The covenant with Moses, given at Sinai, includes the Law and establishes Israel as a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6). Unlike the Abrahamic covenant, this covenant is conditional, requiring Israel’s obedience: “If you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession” (Exodus 19:5).

Deuteronomy 28 outlines blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, suggesting the covenant’s benefits depend on Israel’s faithfulness.

However, Leviticus 26:44-45 states that even if Israel is unfaithful, God will not “reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking My covenant with them,” recalling the covenant with their ancestors (Abraham).

This implies that while the Mosaic covenant’s blessings are conditional, God’s commitment to Israel’s existence endures, rooted in the Abrahamic promise.

3. The Davidic Covenant

God’s covenant with David promises an eternal dynasty: “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). Psalm 89:3-4 reinforces this: “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’” The term “forever” underscores permanence. This covenant focuses on the Davidic line ruling Israel, suggesting an eternal role for Israel as a nation under God’s chosen king. Even when Israel faced exile, passages like Jeremiah 33:20-21 affirm that God’s covenant with David (and the Levites) is as unbreakable as the day and night, reinforcing its eternal tie to Israel.

4. The New Covenant

The New Covenant, prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34, is explicitly made “with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” It promises forgiveness of sins and a renewed relationship with God: “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33).

The eternal nature is implied in Jeremiah 32:40: “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them.” Ezekiel 37:26-28 also ties this covenant to Israel, promising an “everlasting covenant” of peace and God’s presence among them forever.

In the New Testament, Hebrews 8:8-12 cites Jeremiah 31, applying the New Covenant to believers, including both Jews and Gentiles through Christ (Hebrews 9:15). However, the original promise in Jeremiah is directed to Israel, showing continuity with prior covenants.

The BIG question raised: Are God’s Covenants with Israel Eternal?

The Abrahamic and Davidic covenants explicitly use “everlasting” language, tying God’s promises to Israel’s existence, land, and Davidic rule. The Mosaic covenant, while conditional in its blessings, does not negate God’s enduring commitment to Israel as a people, as seen in Leviticus 26 and its link to the Abrahamic promise.

The New Covenant, while fulfilled in Christ and extended to all believers, is rooted in God’s promises to Israel and Judah, maintaining continuity with the earlier covenants.

Romans 11:25-29 provides insight: Paul states that “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,” yet “all Israel will be saved” because “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” This shows that God’s covenantal relationship with Israel remains intact, even as the New Covenant broadens salvation.

The eternal nature of these covenants is tied to God’s faithfulness, not Israel’s performance, as seen in passages like Psalm 105:8-10:

“He remembers His covenant forever, the promise He made, for a thousand generations, the covenant He made with Abraham, the oath He swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant.”

Conclusion

Based on the biblical references, God’s covenant with Israel—through Abraham, Moses, David, and the New Covenant—is eternal in its core commitments to Israel’s existence as God’s people, their connection to the land, and their role in God’s redemptive plan.

While the Mosaic covenant’s blessings are conditional, the overarching promises to Abraham, David, and through the New Covenant use “everlasting” language, affirmed by God’s irrevocable call in Romans 11. Thus, the covenants collectively point to an enduring relationship with Israel, fulfilled ultimately through Christ in the New Covenant, which includes but does not replace Israel’s unique role.

___

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Appeal for the Bondi Terrorist Attack Victims

Celebrate Israel, in partnership with the Canberra Declaration and other supporters, have organised a relief fund appeal for the victims and families of the Sydney Bondi Beach terrorist attack.

Our giving team is called Celebrate Israel Australia on the platform and is part of a much larger appeal run on the Charidy giving website. All donations are tax-deductible and will be administrated by the Jewish United Support Fund.

The relief fund will provide direct financial support, helping families begin to rebuild their lives after this tragedy. Assistance is especially needed to cover essential commitments when the family’s primary breadwinner has been killed. Find out more about this appeal on The Daily Declaration here.

Please stand alongside the Jewish community as a visible demonstration of God’s love to them at this critical time of need. So far, over $29,000 has already been donated, and we prayerfully seeking to raise $100,000.

Please share this appeal button with your church networks and friends.

Give by clicking the green button below.

DONATE TO JEWISH RELIEF FUND