Australia defends action on antisemitism after Netanyahu

7/12/2024 14:21

Australia's government defended its record on curbing antisemitism on Saturday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused it of anti-Israel policies, following an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue.



Netanyahu accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's centre-left Labor government of encouraging crimes such as Friday's attack on the Adass Israel synagogue through policies including support of a recent U.N. motion backing a Palestinian state.



Netanyahu posted on X, "Unfortunately, this criminal act cannot be separated from the anti-Israel spirit blowing from the Labor government in Australia."



Murray Watt, Australia's minister for employment and workplace relations, responded that "the Albanese Government has taken a range of strong actions to stand against antisemitism and to stamp it out from our community".



Watt said, since taking office in May 2022, the government had provided $25 million to Jewish organisations to upgrade security and safety at Jewish sites, including schools, banned the Nazi salute and was taking action against hate speech.