Australian federal police have launched a special operation to address a surge in antisemitic threats and violence following the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas last year.
Jewish community leaders in Australia have reported unprecedented levels of prejudice, with most of the incidents occurring in Sydney and Melbourne, where 85% of the nation’s Jewish population resides. According to the 2021 census, nearly 117,000 Jewish people live in Australia, making up 0.46% of the country’s 25.4 million residents. The Australian government notes that, on a per capita basis, only Israel has more Holocaust survivors than Australia.
The police are investigating several key cases under Special Operation Avalite. In one incident, authorities are searching for two male suspects, believed to be between 15 and 20 years old, who were seen fleeing from Magney St. in Woollahra after a car fire was reported at 1 a.m. Two cars, including the one that burned, had been graffitied, and two homes and the sidewalk were also spray-painted with antisemitic messages, including a misspelled “Kill Israiel.”
Woollahra, known as a hub of Jewish life in Sydney, is one of the wealthiest suburbs in the country. However, not all residents of Magney St. are Jewish, and police have found no evidence that the Jewish community was specifically targeted. The December 6 attack has been classified as a terrorist act, as authorities determined there was a political motive. Police are searching for three suspects.
In another case, two worshippers witnessed two men with their faces covered spreading a liquid accelerant around a building before it ignited. Police have not disclosed the role of a third individual or whether they know the suspects’ identities.
Additionally, two suspects were arrested for allegedly carrying out an anti-Israel rampage in Woollahra. Police responded to a car fire on Wellington St. around 12:30 a.m., where CCTV footage showed two masked men spray-painting expletives and anti-Israel slogans on 10 cars, including the one that was set on fire. They also vandalized three buildings, including a restaurant owned by celebrity chef Matt Moran, who is not Jewish.
On November 25, Mohammed Farhat, 20, was arrested at Sydney International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Indonesia. His alleged accomplice, Thomas Stojanovski, 19, was arrested on November 28. Both suspects remain in custody and face multiple charges, with each potentially facing up to 10 years in prison.
