Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tried to link a Melbourne synagogue firebombing to Australia’s UN vote earlier this week, as Australian leaders condemn the incident.
Mr Netanyahu made a statement on social media platform X condemning the burning of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne as “an abhorrent act of anti-Semitism”.
The synagogue in Ripponlea in Melbourne’s south-east was left gutted after a suspicious blaze tore through it on Friday morning, forcing early morning worshippers to flee for safety.
Police are still investigating the motive of the attack.
Pain in Jewish community following synagogue arson
The Israeli prime minister said he hoped state authorities would use “their full weight to prevent such anti-Semitic acts in the future”, before criticising the Albanese government.
“Unfortunately, it is impossible to separate this reprehensible act from the extreme anti-Israeli position of the Labor government in Australia,” he said.
“Including the scandalous decision to support the UN resolution calling on Israel ‘to bring an end to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as rapidly as possible’, and preventing a former Israeli minister from entering the country.
“Anti-Israel sentiment is anti-Semitism.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the Albanese government for its stance. (AP: Debbie Hill)
Cabinet minister Murray Watt said he “respectfully disagrees” with Mr Netanyahu.
“Ever since the horrific October 7 attacks, the Albanese government has taken a range of strong actions to stand against anti-Semitism and to stamp it out,” he said.
“Our government has absolutely zero-tolerance for anti-Semitism.”
Mr Watt defended the position taken by Australia at the UN earlier this week.
“Australia has stood with 156 other countries in supporting that resolution as another step towards gaining peace in the Middle East,” he said.
He said the people responsible for the synagogue firebombing would be “hunted down” and will “pay a price for what they have done”.
The ABC has asked Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong’s office for comment.
Following the Friday firebombing, Senator Wong said she “unequivocally” condemned the attack.
“The targeting of a place of worship is an act of hate,” she wrote on X.
“Violence and anti-Semitism have no place in Australia.”
Earlier this week, Australia voted in favour of a UN resolution demanding Israel rapidly end its occupation of the Palestinian Territories.
The vote represented a shift in a longstanding position.
Australia abstained on similar resolutions at previous meetings of the General Assembly.
PM condemns ‘act of hate’
Israeli president Isaac Herzog had also labelled it an “abhorrent anti-Semitic arson attack” and called on leaders in Australia and globally to “combat the intolerable rise of anti-Jewish racism worldwide”.
Fellow cabinet minister Mark Butler said Anthony Albanese had spoken with Israeli president Isaac Herzog yesterday.
“They had a very productive discussion about the shared-values we have to combat this appalling rise in anti-Semitism,” he said.
“I am enormously proud of the relationship that Australia has had with Israel.
“We continue to value our relationship with Israel very highly, it’s an important democracy in a very challenging region.”
The synagogue is a significant place of worship for Melbourne’s Jewish community. (ABC News)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, along with other political leaders and Jewish community advocates, expressed dismay over the incident on Friday.
He said he was briefed on the blaze by the Australian Federal Police commissioner, who said there were two persons of interest in the incident.
“It’s a terrible morning to wake up to this news, which all Australians should unequivocally condemn,” Mr Albanese said.
“This is clearly an act of anti-Semitism. It’s an attack on a place of worship so by definition it’s an act of hate.
“This is an outrage. The violence and intimidation and destruction of a place of worship is something that we should never see in Australia.”