Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu blasts Australia’s Gaza protests as ‘shameful’ after Sydney Harbour Bridge march
Benjamin Netnayahu has blasted Australian protests against the war in Gaza, calling them “shameful” and saying they “buy into” Hamas propaganda.
The Israeli Prime Minister overnight held a press conference in English to set the record straight, as he sees it, after Western allies, including Australia, condemned his plan to occupy all of Gaza.
An Australian journalist asked Mr Netanyahu if his Western counterparts, who consistently support the Israel’s right to defend itself, “are now struggling to stomach what they’re seeing you and your military doing in Gaza”.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“First of all, those who say that Israel has a right to defend itself are also saying, ‘but don’t exercise that right,’ when we do what any country would do, faced with this genocidal terrorist organisation that has performed the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust,” Mr Netanyahu responded.
The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel in 2023.
Militants killed more than 1200 in the shock assault, slaughtering entire families.
Much of the violence was celebrated by perpetrators and sympathisers online.
Israel’s furious response has decimated Hamas, but also killed tens of thousands of civilians in the process.
Most of the innocents killed are women, children and the elderly.
Mr Netanyahu insisted his country is “actually applying force judiciously”, adding that critics in Canberra “know it”.
“They know what they would do if right next to Melbourne, or right next to Sydney, you had this horrific attack,” he said.
“I think you would do at least what we’re doing, probbably … not as efficiently and as precisely as we’re doing it.
“We’ve lost quite a few soldiers in that effort.”
Mr Netanyahu went on to address the global momentum for recognition of a Palestinian state.
France, the UK and Canada have all committed to conditionally recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly next month.
Anthony Albanese has neither committed to nor ruled out doing so.
Though, the Prime Minister has said recognition is inevitable.
Mr Netanyahu said the “Jewish public is ... against the Palestinian state for the simple reason that they know it won’t bring peace”, pointing to a recent vote in the country’s parliament that overwhelmingly rejected the idea.
“It’ll bring war,” Mr Netanyahu said, directly countering rhetoric put forward by the Albanese government.
“To have European countries and Australia march into that … rabbit hole just like that, fall right into it and buy, this canard is disappointing, and I think it’s actually shameful.
“But it’s not going to … change our position.
“Again, we will not commit national suicide to get to get a good op-ed for two minutes. We won’t do that.”
More to come.
Originally published as Netanyahu blasts Australia’s Gaza protests as ‘shameful’
