Netanyahu Praises Trump for Anti-Semitism Comment

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu praised President Donald Trump on Wednesday for publicly condemning anti-Semitic acts after bomb threats to U.S. Jewish centers and vandalism in a Jewish cemetery.

Mr. Trump’s comments on Tuesday were his first explicit condemnation of anti-Semitic incidents amid a wave of threats against Jews and their community centers.

“Anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.” he told journalists.

“It’s very important that President Trump took a strong stand against anti-Semitism and it’s important that we all continue to do so in the years ahead,” Mr. Netanyahu, on an official visit to Australia, said in Sydney’s Central Synagogue.

In Israel, some media commentators had pressed Mr. Netanyahu to speak out more strongly against anti-Semitism, in light of what they said had been Mr. Trump’s reluctance to do so.

In Sydney, Mr. Netanyahu called for an international effort to combat “resurgent anti-Semitism” around the world.

“It is something that we need to fight together. I think this is important in Europe. It’s important in America,” he said.