‘Antisemitism Is A Cancer’: Netanyahu Says Australia Failed To Act On Rising Jew Hatred

Last Updated:December 14, 2025, 21:05 IST

Benjamin Netanyahu accused Canberra of having fuelled antisemitism in the period leading up to the shooting.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. (File)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday accused Australia’s Anthony Albanese government of having fuelled antisemitism in the period leading up to the mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach that left at least 12 people dead and several others injured.

While speaking at a government meeting in Dimona, the Israeli Prime Minister stated that Canberra’s stance in the months leading up to the attack had contributed to a climate of hostility against Jewish communities.

“A few months ago I wrote to the Australian prime minister in which I gave him warning that the Australian government’s policy was promoting and encouraging antisemitism in Australia," Netanyahu said, referring to a letter he sent to Albanese n August, following Australia’s announcement that it would recognise Palestinian statehood.

“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," the Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on X, quoting Netanyahu.

“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," he added.

The Israeli Prime Minister accused the Australian government of inaction despite what he described as clear warning signs.

“Instead of action, 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 said.

He further praised the bravery of a civilian, identified as 43-year-old Ahmed a Ahmed, who intervened during the attack and managed to overpower him.

“We saw an action of a brave man — turns out a Muslim brave man — and I salute him," he said, crediting the individual with stopping one of the attackers from killing more people.

A 15-second video has gone viral on social media platforms which showed the man initially taking cover behind parked cars before charging the shooter from behind. He can be seen grabbing the gunman by the neck, wresting away his rifle, and pinning him to the ground while aiming the gun back at him.

However, Netanyahu said individual acts of courage could not substitute for decisive government action.

“But it requires the action of your government, which you are not taking. And you have to, because history will not forgive hesitation and weakness. It will honor action and strength," he said, urging Western governments to take tougher measures against antisemitism.

Linking the Sydney shooting to broader global security concerns, Netanyahu said attacks on Jews and attacks on the West were interconnected. He cited the killing of American soldiers in Syria as evidence that extremist violence targeted shared democratic values.

“Those who target Israelis… will spend the rest of their brief anxious lives knowing that Israel will hunt them, find them and ruthlessly dispose of them," he wrote, saying Israel’s approach mirrored that of the United States.

Netanyahu also expressed condolences to the American people following the deaths of US personnel abroad, saying Israel would continue to take action against those who sought to harm its citizens “in Gaza, in Lebanon, anywhere around us."

What Happened At Bondi Beach?

At least 12 people were killed, and several others were injured after two gunmen opened fire on a crowd of nearly 1,000–2,000 attendees at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday.

As per local media reports, over 50 shots were fired as panic erupted across the beachfront, forcing people to flee or shelter indoors.

New South Wales (NSW) Police confirmed the incident and said that twelve people were killed in the shooting, including a man believed to be one of the shooters, while the second alleged gunman is in critical condition. At least 29 others have been injured, two of whom are police officers.

The police said that emergency services were called to Campbell Parade at around 6:45 pm local time after reports of shots being fired, prompting a large-scale response by officers from the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command.

They further said that two individuals have been taken into custody in connection with the incident. Authorities have urged residents to avoid the area as the entire zone remains under lockdown and an active security operation continues.

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