Pope Leo XIV received a phone call from Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel, on the occasion of the upcoming Christmas holidays and the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. During the discussion, in light of the recent terrorist attack in Sydney, the pontiff reaffirmed the Catholic Church's "unequivocal condemnation of all forms of anti-Semitism, which persistently promote fear within Jewish communities and across society globally". Furthermore, the pontiff reiterated his call for "persistence in the ongoing peace processes in the region, as well as the urgent need to intensify and sustain humanitarian aid efforts." The attack took place on Sunday, December 14, at Bondi Beach, one of Sydney's most famous and popular beaches: two men opened fire on a crowd attending a Jewish community event marking the first night of Hanukkah, one of the most important Jewish holidays.