Israeli Prime Minister Accuses Australia: Recognition of Palestine Fueled Antisemitism

World leaders have condemned the terrorist attack on Sydney’s Bondi Beach that left at least 16 people dead. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, went further, directly accusing the Australian government of contributing to the rise of antisemitism that he says led to the tragedy, according to The Guardian.

Netanyahu stated that he had written to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese back in August, warning that the decision to recognize a Palestinian state would “pour fuel on the fire of antisemitism,” encourage threats against Australian Jews, and incite hatred that, in his words, is now spreading through Australia’s streets.

He accused the government in Canberra of inaction, claiming it failed to take meaningful steps to curb the spread of antisemitism. “You allowed the disease to spread, and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews that we are witnessing today,” Netanyahu said.

At the same time, the Israeli prime minister praised the actions of a bystander who disarmed one of the attackers during the assault, describing him as a “brave Muslim” whose intervention helped save the lives of innocent people gathered to celebrate Hanukkah.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declined to respond directly to Netanyahu’s accusations, saying instead that this was a moment for national unity and solidarity. “This is a time for Australians to come together, and that is exactly what we will do,” Albanese said.

Messages of condemnation and sympathy poured in from around the world. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the attackers deliberately targeted Jewish families during a religious celebration. U.S. President Donald Trump described the incident as an “obviously antisemitic attack,” while similar statements came from leaders in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ukraine, and from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

The Bondi Beach attack has shocked the international community and reignited debate over security, extremism, and the responsibility of political decisions in confronting hatred and violence.