Australian PM Trashes Netanyahu's Claim Linking Palestine Recognition To Bondi Beach Attack

Last Updated:December 15, 2025, 21:54 IST

Anthony Albanese rejects Netanyahu's claim linking Australia's recognition of Palestine to the Bondi Beach attack, urging unity and stronger action against rising antisemitism.

Australian PM Albanese. (Image: Reuters/file photo)

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has firmly rejected claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Australia’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state earlier this year played any role in Sunday’s deadly antisemitic terrorist attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

Speaking in an interview with national broadcasters, Albanese dismissed any suggestion of a link between the recognition and the attack, which killed 15 Jewish people and injured dozens more during a Hanukkah celebration. Two local men allegedly opened fire on the crowd and were shot by police, one fatally.

“No, I don’t accept that," Albanese said when asked about Netanyahu’s accusation. He added that “overwhelmingly, most of the world recognises a two-state solution as the way forward in the Middle East."

Netanyahu had earlier criticised Albanese’s government, accusing it of appeasement and claiming it had failed to curb antisemitism in Australia. Albanese did not respond directly to those remarks, instead calling for unity and support for Australia’s Jewish community.

“This is a moment of national unity," he said. “We need to wrap our arms around members of the Jewish community who are going through an extraordinarily difficult period. Australians overwhelmingly stand with the Jewish community at this time."

Relations between Australia and Israel have been strained since August, when Israel revoked visas of Australian diplomats working in the occupied Palestinian territories following Canberra’s decision to recognise Palestine. Australia said the move was part of a coordinated international effort to revive momentum for a two-state solution, secure a ceasefire in Gaza and ensure the release of hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Netanyahu had earlier described Australia’s recognition of Palestine as an “absurdity" and a “reward for terrorism."

On Monday, Albanese said his government was prepared to take further action to combat antisemitism. He highlighted measures already in place, including criminalising hate speech and incitement to violence, banning the Nazi salute, and extending funding for physical security at Jewish community sites. He also pointed to the need for continued vigilance on gun control, despite Australia already having some of the world’s strictest firearms laws.

Jillian Segal, the government’s special envoy on antisemitism, said the Bondi attack “did not come without warning," citing a rise in graffiti and arson attacks targeting Jewish sites. Jewish leaders echoed calls for stronger action, warning that unchecked antisemitism had created a dangerous environment.

Opposition Liberal leader Sussan Ley accused the Labour government of allowing antisemitism to “fester" and urged the immediate implementation of all recommendations in Segal’s July report, including a focus on university campuses.

Albanese has previously stressed the importance of distinguishing antisemitism from legitimate criticism of the Israeli government, saying people must be free to express views on overseas events without targeting individuals because of their Jewish identity.

According to the 2021 census, about 117,000 Australians identify as Jewish, making up roughly 0.46 per cent of the population, with most living in Sydney and Melbourne.

Australia’s government has also sought to balance concerns within its multicultural society, including among migrant communities from the Middle East. Weekly protests against Israel’s war in Gaza have been allowed since 2023. Earlier this year, Australia expelled Iran’s ambassador after intelligence agencies linked Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards to antisemitic arson attacks in the country.

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