Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blamed the Australian Labor government for the anti-Semitic arson attack on a synagogue in Melbourne, calling it an “abhorrent act of antisemitism”. He claimed that the government’s extreme anti-Israel position is connected to the attack.
Netanyahu stated that “Anti-Israel sentiment is antisemitism.” The Australian government has defended its record on curbing antisemitism, with Minister for Employment Murray Watt saying that his government takes strong actions against hate speech and has provided $25 million to Jewish organizations to upgrade security at Jewish sites.
However, some Jewish groups have criticized the Albanese government for not doing enough to tackle rising antisemitism. Netanyahu’s condemnation also comes as former treasurer Josh Frydenberg demands that the arson attack be labelled as a terrorist incident.
Police are still searching for two people suspected of starting the fire that injured one person and caused widespread damage at the synagogue in Melbourne. The attack is part of Australia’s rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents since the start of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023.
Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-832287