On Sunday, Israeli officials promptly placed responsibility for the fatal shooting in Sydney, Australia, on the country’s government, claiming it had overlooked numerous warning signs of antisemitism.
During a government meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly read a letter he had sent to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier this year after Albanese announced his backing for a Palestinian state.
“Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on the antisemitic fire. It rewards Hamas terrorists. It emboldens those who menace Australian Jews and encourages the Jew hatred now stalking your streets. Antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent; it retreats when leaders act. I call upon you to replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve,” Netanyahu recited.
“Instead, Prime Minister, you replaced weakness with weakness and appeasement with more appeasement. Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia. You did nothing to curb the cancer cells that were growing inside your country. You took no action. You let the disease spread and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we saw today,” Netanyahu declared.
and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also issued unusually harsh statements following Sunday’s shooting, which left at least 11 people dead and 29 hospitalized.
“Time and again we called on the to take action and combat the massive wave of antisemitism afflicting Australian society,” Herzog stated in a social media post, sharing a photo of a blood-stained prayer shawl.
Saar directed even stronger criticism at Australian authorities, contending they had overlooked obvious indicators of increasing Islamist extremism and antisemitism.
“I am appalled by the murderous shooting attack at a Hanukkah event in Sydney, Australia. This is the result of the antisemitic rampage in the streets of Australia over the past two years, including the antisemitic and inciting calls of ‘Globalize the Intifada,’ which were realized today,” Saar said in a statement, posting the same image as Herzog.
“The Australian government, which received countless warning signs, must come to its senses!” he added.
Authorities report that at least two gunmen took part in Sunday’s assault, which targeted a Jewish “Chanukah By The Sea” gathering at Sydney’s renowned Bondi Beach. One suspected gunman was killed during the incident, while the other is receiving medical treatment. Law enforcement is probing the possibility of a third shooter.
Officials also discovered indications of several improvised explosive devices in a car near the attack site.
“Our rescue bomb disposal unit is currently on site handling that,” stated the New South Wales police commissioner.
Albanese denounced Sunday’s assault and the targeting of Jewish Australians.