‘Summer of Terror’ Led to Bondi Beach Massacre: Royal Commission

Antisemitism is a ‘virus,’ counsel assisting the commission has said, while another lawyer has detailed some of the personal testimony the commission will hear.

Counsel assisting the Royal Commission on Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion, Zelie Heger. Screenshot of livestream of the Royal Commission proceedings

A lawyer assisting the Royal Commission into the Bondi Beach mass shooting has described the year ending 2024 as the “summer of terror,” which stemmed from the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks and eventuated in Australia’s worst terror incident.

Zelie Heger said anti-Semitism is “recognised as one of society’s oldest hatreds,” but that expressions of it in Australia had increased markedly after terror group Hamas attacked an Israeli music festival on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 and capturing 250 hostages.