Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor government on Friday, accusing its anti-Israel policies of fostering antisemitism after an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue. The Adass Israel synagogue was firebombed during morning prayers, injuring one and causing extensive damage. Worshippers inside reported masked assailants throwing incendiary devices through the windows.
Synagogue board member Benjamin Klein described the attack to The Age newspaper: “Worshippers heard banging on the door and the window, and some liquids came through which were lit.” Congregants formed a human chain to rescue sacred items, including a Torah scroll brought to Australia from Germany during World War II.
Netanyahu condemned the attack as “an abhorrent act of antisemitism,” calling for Australian authorities to act decisively against such crimes. He linked the arson to what he called the Albanese government’s “extreme anti-Israel position,” highlighting its support for a recent United Nations resolution demanding Israel withdraw from the so-called “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” including East Jerusalem.
The resolution, backed by Australia earlier this week, marked a significant policy shift, breaking from its traditional alignment with the United States. Netanyahu criticized the move, noting that East Jerusalem contains the Jewish Quarter and Judaism’s holiest sites, with a millennia-long Jewish presence. He also cited Australia’s decision to bar former Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked from entry earlier this year, calling it unjustified and reflective of bias.
“Anti-Israel sentiment is antisemitism,” Netanyahu stated, emphasizing that policies undermining Israel embolden such attacks. He urged the Australian government to reconsider its stance and warned of the consequences of appeasing anti-Israel factions.
The attack has heightened tensions and drawn attention to the intersection of global foreign policy decisions and local acts of antisemitism. Australian authorities are investigating the synagogue attack, while Jewish communities worldwide have expressed concern over the rise in antisemitic incidents.