Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply criticized Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday following a horrific terrorist attack at a Hanukkah event in Sydney that left 15 dead, including a 10-year-old girl. Netanyahu accused Albanese of emboldening antisemitism by supporting Palestinian statehood—even after the October 7 Hamas atrocities against Israel.
The attack occurred during a “Hanukkah by the Sea” celebration at Bondi Beach, where over a thousand attendees gathered near a children’s playground. Two Islamic extremists, a father and son duo identified as Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, opened fire on the crowd. Authorities confirmed that ISIS flags were found in their vehicle. Sajid was killed in the attack, while Naveed is in police custody.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns confirmed the shooting was deliberately aimed at the Jewish community. Albanese acknowledged that Naveed Akram had been a known person of interest to Australian intelligence since 2019 but had not been classified as a direct threat.
In a public statement, Netanyahu revealed that he warned Albanese months earlier about the consequences of Australia’s foreign policy. “On August 17, I sent Prime Minister Albanese of Australia a letter in which I gave him warning that the Australian government’s policy was promoting and encouraging antisemitism in Australia,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu wrote in the letter that calling for Palestinian statehood “pours fuel on the antisemitic fire,” and “rewards Hamas terrorists.” He accused Albanese of emboldening those who threaten Australian Jews and of failing to take meaningful action. “Antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent; it retreats when leaders act,” Netanyahu warned.
Albanese dismissed Netanyahu’s remarks on Monday, calling them an “unfounded and dangerous shortcut.” He accused the Israeli leader of politicizing a national tragedy and reaffirmed his support for the creation of a Palestinian state.
Australia’s unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state in September drew backlash from Israel and was criticized by the United States as a misguided symbolic gesture. Meanwhile, Hamas praised the move as a show of “political courage” and urged other nations to follow suit.
Netanyahu maintains that Western governments offering diplomatic support to Palestinian causes after Hamas’s terror attacks are contributing to rising antisemitism worldwide. He said Albanese “did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia” and “replaced weakness with weakness and appeasement with more appeasement.”
