In the aftermath of a devastating attack on Sydney’s Jewish community, political leaders must resist the urge to weaponise grief or assign blame.

It is far too early to make any meaningful comment about the utter devastation and cruelty suffered by Sydney’s Jewish community as they celebrated Hanukkah. But it is not too early to respond to the disgracefully self-serving, patronising rant from the Israeli Prime Minister and to a lesser degree from the Israeli president as they sheeted blame for the atrocity on Prime Minister Albanese and Australian leadership in general.

It is not too early for many reasons, but particularly because, again for political reasons, it will suit some voices in Australia to mimic the same political blame game.

We human beings are very complex, sometimes we do not fully understand our own thoughts and actions, let alone the motivations and thoughts of others, least of all cast blame.

Netanyahu has immediately claimed the thought process behind the father and son allegedly responsible was antisemitic.

If this proves to be the case, as seems likely, one must ask what could provoke such an extreme and violent attack.

Netanyahu has insisted that any criticism of Israel is antisemitic. In his rant against Australian leadership he included reference to the fact that Australia has sanctioned Ben Gvir and Smotrich, both of whom have declared the killing of Palestinians a patriotic duty for an Israeli citizen. This sanctioning he claims has contributed to the ‘disease’ of Australian antisemitism. He of course also included Australia’s recognition of statehood for Palestinians as a major cause. (Mentioning that 157 of the 193 members states of the UN recognise Palestine seems irrelevant).

There is indeed rage in Australia about the actions of Israel against Palestinians, rage which I share, but I do not make the mistake of linking Australian Jewish citizens to the actions of the State of Israel and its self-serving Prime Minister.

However, I am not a Palestinian, I do not have family members who have been killed, I do not have property that has been seized, I do not have family members including children in an Israeli jail without charge, I do no look out on an artificial boundary and be told I can no longer enter my land, I am not summarily abused and humiliated several times a day at checkpoints, I do not yearn, as they do, to live with the rights other humans take for granted. There are many Australians who vicariously live in this emotional and spiritual turmoil on behalf of their fellow people.

I am convinced there are few, very few Australians who make the grave error of linking, even blaming, Australian Jewish citizens for the actions of the Israeli government. We now know that foreign interests, notably from Iran, have tried to stir hate and division amongst us.

But if some make this grave error, why do they, what provokes them? Almost certainly there is no cause emanating from the Australia Jewish community, members of whom are highly respected. The cause, the provocation, lies in Israel. The killing of 60,000+ Gazans is provocative. The use of starvation as a weapon of war is provocative. The imprisonment of young children who throw stones is provocative. The alienation of large swathes of Palestinian land in the West Bank is provocative. The removal of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem is provocative. One could go on.

No, Mr Netanyahu, Mr Albanese is not responsible for any antisemitism in Australia, you are. You are similarly responsible for its growing presence in the US, Britain, Europe and many other places throughout the world.