Australia defends antisemitism record after backlash from Netanyahu
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 22: Agriculture Minister Murray Watt speaks during a press conference on July 22, 2022 in Brisbane, Australia. There are growing concerns about the threat of foot and mouth disease reaching Australia after viral fragments were found in meat products this week. Foot and mouth disease is a highly contagious disease of livestock that affects cloven-hoofed animals including cattle, buffalo, camels, sheep, goats, deer and pigs and has been reported in countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America. Biosecurity measures at Australian international airports have been increased in response to the current outbreak in Indonesia, in efforts to protect local livestock and the Australian farming industry. (Photo by Dan Peled/Getty Images)
The Australian government on Saturday defended its efforts to combat antisemitism after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused it of promoting anti-Israel policies.
Netanyahu linked these policies to an arson attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne.
Netanyahu alleged on X (formerly Twitter) that Australia’s center-left Labor government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, fostered an “anti-Israel spirit” that encouraged acts like Friday’s attack.
He specifically criticized the government’s support of a recent UN motion endorsing a Palestinian state.
In response, Murray Watt, Australia’s Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, dismissed Netanyahu’s allegations, citing robust measures to curb antisemitism.
Since assuming office in May 2022, Watt highlighted that the government allocated $25 million for upgrading security at Jewish sites, including schools, and implemented actions against hate speech.
“I respectfully disagree with Prime Minister Netanyahu on this matter,” Watt said during remarks in Brisbane. Prime Minister Albanese also condemned the attack, asserting that antisemitism has no place in Australia.
The Melbourne arson injured one person and caused significant damage, with police still searching for two suspects. The incident comes amid a rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic acts following the Israel-Gaza war that began in October 2023.
While laws banning public displays of terror group symbols were enacted last year, some Jewish organizations argue that the government’s efforts to counter antisemitism remain insufficient.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Australia over the past year have been predominantly peaceful, but officials expressed concerns about their potential to heighten community tensions.
