Labour donor Dale Vince has faced condemnation for suggesting the Israeli government is partly responsible for a rise in antisemitism following a deadly attack at a Hanukah event in Sydney. The attack, which occurred at Bondi beach, left 15 people dead.
Vince, who has donated over £5 million to Labour, posted on X that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'wants antisemitism to be a thing' and that his actions contribute to it. The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, called the statement 'morally repugnant' and urged Keir Starmer to condemn Vince.
A Labour spokesperson said there 'can never and should never be any excuses made for barbaric acts of terrorism'. It is understood Vince is not a Labour member and has not donated to the party since May 2024.
In a follow-up post, Vince clarified that his words were 'not intended to excuse or legitimise terrorism' and that he condemns all acts of violence and racism. He argued that the 'biggest single cause' of rising antisemitism is the 'genocide in Palestine'.
Conservative chair Kevin Hollinrake called for Labour to return all donations from Vince and refuse future ones, stating that 'any language that excuses or legitimises terrorism gives extremists cover'.
