A former Australian MP has expressed his outrage following a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney that left a frequent GB News contributor with a gunshot wound to the head.
Timothy Smith, speaking to the People's Channel, said he was "disgusted" by the attack, which targeted Jewish Australians at the iconic Sydney location.
Among those injured was Arsen Ostrovsk, an Israeli-Australian human rights lawyer who has appeared previously on this channel.
According to Mr Smith, Mr Ostrovsky had relocated to Australia just two weeks before leading the Australia Israel Jewish Affairs Council in efforts to combat antisemitism.
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Speaking on GB News, Mr Smith said: "I know a very good friend, Arsen Ostrovsky, who was injured, shot in the head.
"He’s an Israeli-Australian, a human rights lawyer, and appeared on this channel many times.
"He moved back to Australia to head the Australia Israel Jewish Affairs Council to combat anti-Semitism just two weeks ago.
"He survives a war zone in Israel, lands in Australia, goes to celebrate Hanukkah with his wife and kids at Bondi and gets shot in the head.
Timothy Smith, speaking to GB News, declared himself 'disgusted' by the attack
|GB NEWS
"What has happened to my country, Australia? You have a serious problem.
"My message to the Australian government is: in some respects, you have contributed to this.
"By using anti-Israel language for so long, and by recognising a Palestinian state before all Israeli hostages were released from Hamas, the Government acted morally indefensible and it has given a green light for this kind of terror on the streets of Sydney. I am disgusted."
He added: "They were killed simply because they were Jewish. How many times in the last two years have people been killed for being Jewish?
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Armed police rushed to the scene and neutralised ont of the gunmen
|GETTY
"October 7, 1,200 people. Anti-Semitism has exploded in Australia since then, rising by 700 per cent in just over two years.
"It all traces back to that one moment: October 9, 2023, two days after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
"A mob stood on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, that iconic Australian building, shouting, 'Gas the Jews, f*** the Jews!' And nothing happened.
"Not a single criminal charge. Not even symbolic action. If that isn’t a hate crime, what is?
"The lack of consequences allowed anti-Semitism to escalate, and two years later, we have a mass casualty event where people were shot and killed simply for being Jewish."
The victims had gathered at the beach to mark Hanukkah celebrations when the gunman opened fire.
A resident of Bondi Beach recounted the terrifying moments as gunfire erupted across the area on Sunday evening.
The witness, who had been preparing to head to the beach to watch the sunset, described hearing what initially sounded like fireworks before realising the gravity of the situation.
The victims had gathered at the beach to mark Hanukkah celebrations when the gunman opened fire
|REUTERS
"People just running and yelling, you know, get back in the house, get back in the house. There's gunman," the resident recalled.
The shooting continued for several minutes, with the witness noting it was "extensive gunfire" rather than isolated shots.
Locals scrambled for safety, with some locking themselves in pub stockrooms while others hid behind restaurant bins for up to ninety minutes.
Helicopters circled overhead broadcasting instructions for residents to remain indoors and secure their properties as police responded to the incident.
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