Chikli offers Israeli counterterrorism training in letter to Australian minister

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli offers Israel’s help to train Australian counterterrorism forces, in a letter to Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

The offer comes after last month’s deadly antisemitic terror attack on a seaside Hanukkah festival on Bondi Beach, in which terrorists killed 15 people. The Israeli government accused the Australian government of failing to address the growing antisemitism in the country that led to the attack.

In the New Year’s letter, Chikli says Israel is “ready and willing to assist Australia at this critical juncture.”

“We bring extensive experience in combating radical Islamic terrorism and antisemitism, threats that have regrettably become increasingly common, overt and dangerous, not only in Australia but across the world,” he writes to the Australian minister.

“Accordingly, we would welcome the opportunity to host and train senior Australian police officers and security personnel in Israel, sharing our expertise and best practices in countering terrorism and antisemitism,” the letter reads.

Chikli says Australia’s acknowledgement of extremism in the aftermath of the massacre “stops short of directly identifying radical Islam as the driving ideology behind this attack.”

“Similarly, the fact that Prime Minister Albanese and Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong have failed to clearly name the source of this violence – radical Islam – undermines the ability to confront it.”

MAJOR – ISRAEL'S MINISTER FOR DIASPORA AMICHAI CHIKLI WRITES TO TONY BURKE

-"Israel stands ready and willing to assist Australia at this critical juncture. We bring extensive experience in combating radical Islamic terrorism and antisemitism"

– The fact that Prime Minister… pic.twitter.com/09hdzh92pD

— Australian Jewish Association (@AustralianJA) January 2, 2026