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A lighter tone struck by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in the wake of a terrorist attack at a Jewish celebration in Australia clashed sharply with calls for a harder line on rising antisemitism on Sunday, prompting debate on the role of rhetoric in countering violence.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the highest-ranking lawmaker of Jewish descent in American history, sparked criticism online for offering his condolences, while in the same breath celebrating a football victory for New York.
"I'm going to say a few words about the terrible shooting in Sydney, Australia. And first, of course, as I always say - go Bills. They beat the Patriots today. It's a big deal," Schumer said, referring to a Sunday NFL game.
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Fellow New York lawmaker Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., reposted a clip calling Schumer's comments tone-deaf.
"Retire. Immediately," Lawler said in a post on X.
On the other side of the aisle, lawmakers like Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., called on viewers to take a graver stance on rising antisemitism, arguing that a failure to do so would only reward and encourage further acts of violence.
"It's an absolute betrayal, for Israel and for the worldwide Jewish community - like whether it's France or Australia or any of these nations, our Western allies - now calling for a two-state solution when Hamas refuses to disarm and are actively trying to kill Jews. I can't imagine why anybody would do that at this point," Fetterman said on Sunday.
The divide between Fetterman and Schumer's responses illustrates a stark contrast in how lawmakers talk about Israel in the Democratic Party, even as they universally expressed horror at Sunday's attack.
A father-son duo opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration attended by more than 1,000 people at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday afternoon. According to New South Wales authorities, the father, 50, was killed in a confrontation with police, while his son, 24, remains in critical condition. Police confirmed 16 victim fatalities and 40 hospitalizations.
Authorities have designated the attack an act of terrorism.
In the wake of the shooting, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, blasted Democrats for not slamming the door shut on anti-Israel rhetoric on Sunday.
"On this day of horror … to all the leftists offering your 'thoughts and prayers,' what - exactly - do you think 'globalize the Intifada' means?" Cruz said in a post on X, referring to the phrase critics of Israel frequently used to call for the abolition of the Jewish state.
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Notably, the mayor-elect of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, has repeatedly refused to directly condemn the use of the phrase, one that protesters have taken up to attack Israel. Earlier this year, thousands of protesters took to the streets in Manhattan, using it as a rallying cry to halt aid to Israel amid their conflict with Gaza. Other top Democrats at the time pressed Mamdani to stop using the phrase or better explain what he meant by not condemning it.
Schumer declined to endorse anyone in the race after it became clear Mamdani would capture the Democrat nomination.
The Bondi Beach attack comes as Australia has seen widespread pro-Palestinian protests in recent months. According to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, an organization that tracks anti-Jewish incidents, expressions of hate or violence against the Jewish community have jumped over 300% in the past two years.
In a letter co-authored by all 25 Jewish members of the Democrat Party in the U.S. House of Representatives, lawmakers argued that Sunday's attack hadn't come in a vacuum.
"Sadly, this attack does not come as a surprise to the Jewish community of Sydney who have been raising a clarion call for local and national authorities to take concrete steps against a rising tide of antisemitism," the lawmakers' statement said.
The trend they cited matches rising antisemitic sentiments in the United States. According to the Anti-Defamation League, the U.S. has similarly seen an increase of over 315% in antisemitic incidents in the past five years.
In their letter, the Democrat lawmakers voiced fears that the sentiments would only continue to grow.
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"Antisemitism is a cancer that eats at the core of society, whether in Australia, the United States, or anywhere it is allowed to take root and grow. We join leaders around the globe in condemning this evil act and in calling for justice, peace, and unwavering support for those affected," the lawmakers said.
"We also call on all leaders to do better standing up to antisemitism, bigotry, and hate. We must also do better in our work for a world where everyone can celebrate their faith and traditions free from discrimination and fear," the letter added.
