Over 40 coordinated pro-Palestinian protests took place across Australia, drawing massive crowds demanding government action regarding the conflict in Gaza. According to the Palestine Action Group, an Australian-based organization, an estimated 350,000 people participated in the nationwide rallies, though police figures in some cities were lower. In Sydney, organizer Josh Lees stated that demonstrators were marching to “demand an end to this genocide in Gaza and to demand that our government sanction Israel.”
The widespread demonstrations have sparked significant controversy within the country and have become a flashpoint in Australia’s foreign relations. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, a representative body for the Jewish community, condemned the rallies, stating they created “an unsafe environment and shouldn’t be happening.” This domestic tension reflects a growing and increasingly bitter diplomatic dispute between Australia and Israel.
The situation has escalated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launching a series of direct personal attacks against his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese. In recent days, Netanyahu has intensified his criticism, describing Mr. Albanese as “a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”
