Sydney Antisemitism

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has led to significant international attention and commentary. Protests have erupted in several major cities in Australia, demanding more support for Palestinians, severing diplomatic ties with Israel, and divesting from companies linked to Israel. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is continually at risk of being revoked by either party due to claims of breaches. Moreover, ASIO’s recent Annual Threat Assessment expressed concerns the “attacks have not yet plateaued” in Australia.

An increase in antisemitic attacks has been reported in Australia, targeting synagogues, vehicles, and violent threats to the Jewish community. In Melbourne, the largest Jewish school in Australia was graffitied on May 2, and the Adass synagogue was subject to an arson attack on December 6. However, Sydney has seen the largest influx of incidents whereby samdesk detected ten incidents from October 20, 2024, until February 20, 2025, supporting anecdotal evidence of the increase in antisemitism in the region. On January 29, a caravan laden with explosives capable of prompting a 40-meter blast radius was identified by police in Dural in Northern Sydney. Within the caravan, a list of names was discovered linked to previous threats and fires at a synagogue in Newtown on January 11. Although thwarted, the explosives, if used, would have led to the largest terrorist attack in Australia’s history, and initial investigations suggested a possible link to overseas funding. The discovery signifies a rise in the threat of coordinated attacks in Australia. Law enforcement is investigating the threats and has determined that some “may have been coordinated and funded by foreign entities and are paying local criminal groups.”