Australia's prime minister has rejected accusations from his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, that Australia's recognition of a Palestinian state earlier this year had contributed to a deadly antisemitic terrorist attack on Bondi beach in Sydney. In an interview with national broadcasters, Anthony Albanese was asked if he accepted any link between that recognition and the massacre.
“No, I don't,” Albanese said, adding that overwhelmingly, most of the world recognises a two-state solution as the way forward in the Middle East. Fifteen people died and dozens more were injured after two men opened fire on a crowd gathered to celebrate the Jewish religious festival of Hanukah. Both men were shot by police, one fatally.
Albanese did not directly respond to Netanyahu's accusation that he had “replaced weakness with weakness and appeasement with more appeasement” when fighting antisemitism. Instead, he called for national unity, saying Australians overwhelmingly stand with the Jewish community at this difficult time.
Tensions between Australia and Israel have been high since August, when Israel revoked the visas of Australian diplomats in occupied Palestine, which Australia's foreign minister, Penny Wong, called an unjustified reaction. Australia's government said its recognition of Palestine was part of a coordinated international effort to build momentum for a two-state solution, a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages taken by Hamas on 7 October 2023.
Speaking on Monday, Albanese listed actions his government had taken, including criminalising hate speech and incitement to violence, a ban on the Nazi salute, and extended funding for security at Jewish community sites. A special envoy, Jillian Segal, said the attack “did not come without warning”, and Jewish leaders and the opposition echoed calls for stronger action against antisemitism.
