Kenilorea Expresses Condolences to Australia After Bondi Beach Mass Shooting

Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and Member of Parliament for East Are’are, Peter Kenilorea Jnr, has expressed his condolences to the Government and people of Australia following a deadly mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney yesterday.

The attack occurred as hundreds of Jewish Australians gathered to celebrate the first day of the Jewish festival, Hanukkah.

Speaking in Parliament during the Motion of Sine Die today, Kenilorea condemned reported elements of anti-Semitism involved in the shooting.

“Elements of anti-Semitism have been reported to be involved in this mass shooting. Those of us who are Christians and who read the Bible know that this is not new.

“Anti-Semitism is the oldest persecution of any people in the world, recorded in the Bible from Babylon, the Babylonians, and the Roman Empire. These things continue to the present day against the Jewish people,” he said.

“So my prayer goes out to the Jewish community in Sydney and Australia, and to the people of Australia, that they deal with this issue and support those who are affected by this.”

Officials have confirmed that 15 people were killed in the attack, while dozens are being treated for injuries in hospitals across Sydney.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the incident as an “act of evil anti-Semitism” and a terror attack against Jewish Australians.

Reports confirm that the two suspects were a father and son. Police shot and killed the father at the scene, while his  son was critically injured and in police custody.

ENDS//