Controversy Erupts
Australian Antisemitic Cartoon Hijacks Bondi Massacre in Grotesque Anti-Israel Propaganda Push
A Sydney Morning Herald cartoon by Cathy Wilcox depicting calls for a Bondi Beach attack inquiry as Netanyahu-orchestrated has sparked widespread condemnation from Jewish leaders, politicians, and survivors who accuse it of antisemitism.
A political cartoon published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age has ignited widespread outrage, with critics accusing it of antisemitism and insensitivity just weeks after the deadly terrorist attack at Bondi Beach that claimed 15 lives, including a 10-year-old girl.
The cartoon, drawn by veteran artist Cathy Wilcox, portrays calls for a federal inquiry into the attack as a manipulated "grassroots" movement influenced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompting demands for apologies from Jewish community leaders, politicians, and survivors.
The controversy stems from the December 14, 2025, attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, where father-son gunmen Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, opened fire on a crowd of about 1,000 people. Authorities classified the shooting as an ISIS-inspired antisemitic terrorist act, Australia's deadliest in modern history and its second-worst mass shooting.
Victims included Matilda, a 10-year-old Ukrainian immigrant described by her family as a "sweet, happy child," a Holocaust survivor, a rabbi, and a retired police officer. Sajid was killed by police at the scene, while Naveed faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and terrorism.In the aftermath, victims' families,
Jewish organizations, and opposition politicians have pushed for a Royal Commission to investigate security lapses, the surge in antisemitism linked to global tensions over the Israel-Gaza War, and how the attackers acquired weapons. Proponents argue the inquiry is vital for national security, while some critics see it as politically charged.
Wilcox's cartoon, titled "Grass Roots" and published on January 6, shows a group of Australians, including "sports greats" and "Labor has-beens," holding signs demanding the inquiry, standing on grass lifted like a banner by figures such as former Prime Minister John Howard, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, Nationals Leader David Littleproud, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, and Australia's antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal. Below, Netanyahu is depicted beating a drum, suggesting he is directing the effort.x.com
The Australian Jewish Association (AJA) blasted the image in a tweet, calling it a mockery of those "speaking up" and implying Netanyahu is "behind it all." "15 people, including a 10 year old girl were murdered at Bondi Beach in an antisemitic, Islamic terrorist attack," the AJA posted. "The Jewish community and so many other Australians are calling for an inquiry. The Sydney Morning Herald/The Age runs this cartoon... Cathy Wilcox, the cartoonist has quite the anti-Israel record."Backlash has been swift and bipartisan. Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson described the cartoon as "deeply offensive," while former Labor MP Mike Kelly called it "grotesque."
Attack survivor Arsen Ostrovsky, who was shot, labeled it "Jew-hatred" for hijacking the tragedy to target Israel. Some compared it to Nazi-era propaganda, accusing it of invoking tropes of Jewish control.
Wilcox, an award-winning cartoonist with a history of critiquing Israeli policies, including depictions of Gaza suffering and UNRWA, has faced similar accusations before.
Neither the newspapers nor Wilcox have issued an apology as of this reporting, though calls for one persist amid broader debates on media bias, antisemitism, and foreign influence in Australia.