In an escalating international dispute, Israel launched a series of diplomatic attacks against several of its Western allies as they prepare to recognize a Palestinian state next month. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent two strongly worded letters to the leaders of France and Australia, accusing both men of fueling antisemitism with their decision to recognize a state of Palestine. In both letters, Netanyahu cited antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents that occurred in recent months, linking them to the governments' positions on the Gaza war and Palestinian statehood. "Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire", Netanyahu wrote in a letter obtained by CNN to French President Emanuel Macron on Tuesday. "It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas's refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets." The acrimonious letter drew a sharp rebuke from the Elysee Palace, which noted that Macron first learned of the Israeli letter through the press before receiving it through diplomatic channels. France "protects and will always protect its compatriots of the Jewish faith," the Elysee Palace said in a statement. "These times demand seriousness and responsibility, not confusion and manipulation." The tensions are a sign of the growing gulf between Netanyahu and his Western allies – many of whom have become increasingly critical of Israel's war in Gaza, which has destroyed vast swathes of the territory and led to a worsening humanitarian crisis there. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon last week said Netanyahu had "lost the plot" while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told the Jyllands-Posten newspaper that "Netanyahu is now a problem in himself." Earlier Tuesday, the Israeli prime minister also castigated Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, calling him a "weak politician," after his government cancelled the visa of a far-right lawmaker from Netanyahu's governing coalition. Australia and France are two of the latest Western nations to announce plans to recognize a State of Palestine. Canada and Portugal have also announced similar intentions. Next month, they will join more than 140 other countries that already recognize Palestinian statehood. The United Kingdom has conditionally said it will recognize a Palestinian state if Israel does not meet criteria that includes agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. Netanyahu set a deadline for the leaders of Australia and France to take action against the "cancer" of antisemitism, calling on them "to act" before the Jewish New Year on September 23. The date coincides with the opening of the United Nations General Assembly's high-level debate where the countries are expected to recognize a Palestinian state. France says the move is intended to revive the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and bring peace to the region, but Israel and the US have slammed the initiative, calling it a reward for Hamas terror that will only set back efforts for peace. Israel's tensions with Australia have likewise worsened since Canberra announced its intention to recognize a Palestinian state, following its imposition of sanctions on Israeli far right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir in June. The crisis deepened this week after Australian Home affairs Minister Tony Burke denied an entry visa to another far-right Israeli politician, Simcha Rothman. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar revoked the residence visas of Australian representatives in the Palestinian Authority and instructed Israel's embassy in Canberra to scrutinize every official Australian request for a visa to Israel. Netanyahu later attacked Australian Prime Minister Albanese on social media, saying, "History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews." Albanese, speaking to local reporters on Wednesday, said he did not "take it personally." He said, "I treat leaders of other countries with respect, and I engage with them in a diplomatic way." Burke rebutted Netanyahu's "weak" accusation, telling public broadcaster the ABC that "strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry." — CNN
