The acting ambassador to the Embassy of Israel in Australia says Israel is enduring “the worst national tragedy in the history of modern Israel”.

War has been declared after more than 600 Israelis were killed in attacks by Palestinian militant group, Hamas.

Acting ambassador to the Embassy of Israel in Australia, Christian Cantor, says this is “not another escalation, it’s not another terrorist attack … it is a state of war”.

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He also shared a potent, powerful message condemning the pro-Palestine rally cheering and setting off fireworks in Western Sydney.

“I find it very difficult to understand how a human being can celebrate pictures of babies as young as three-years-old kicked and spit on because of their Jewishness,” he said.

“I cannot understand how people can celebrate images of elderly people, some of them suffering dementia, abducted on motorcycles … I really can’t understand that.”

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