A car was set on fire, and two properties were vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti in a suburb of the Australian city of Sydney on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the latest attack, which marked the second incident targeting the Jewish community in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra within three weeks, calling it an "outrage."
He stated that he would receive updates on the situation from a newly established antisemitism task force.
"This isn't an attack on a government, this is an attack on people because they happen to be Jewish. That is what has occurred," Albanese was quoted as having told ABC Radio. "The idea that we take a conflict overseas and bring it here is something that is quite contrary to what Australia was built on ... this is a hate crime, it's as simple as that."
According to New South Wales state police, two individuals wearing face coverings and dark clothing were seen near the site in Woollahra, a suburb with a significant Jewish population, when the car was set alight.
The latest incident comes just days after an arson attack at a Melbourne synagogue. Australian Police confirmed on Monday that the firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
Australia has experienced a surge in antisemitic incidents following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry reported more than 2,000 anti-Jewish incidents between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, compared to approximately 500 incidents during the same period a year earlier.
The Jewish community has expressed frustration with Albanese and his government, accusing it of not doing enough to combat antisemitism.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement after the Melbourne attack condemning the arson attack and criticizing the Australian government.
"The burning of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne is an abhorrent act of antisemitism. I expect the state authorities to use their full weight to prevent such antisemitic acts in the future," Netanyahu stated.
"Unfortunately, it is impossible to separate this reprehensible act from the extreme anti-Israeli position of the Labor government in Australia, including the scandalous decision to support the UN resolution calling on Israel 'to bring an end to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as rapidly as possible,' and preventing a former Israeli minister from entering the country," Prime Minister attacked, mentioning Australia's decision to refuse a visa to former Minister Ayelet Shaked.
"Anti-Israel sentiment is antisemitism," he concluded.
Albanese was asked on Sunday about Netanyahu’s criticism and would only say that Netanyahu's comments were “a matter for the Israeli Prime Minister.”
Earlier, Murray Watt, Australia’s minister for employment and workplace relations, responded to Netanyahu’s criticism by highlighting initiatives such as $25 million in funding for security upgrades at Jewish sites, including schools, as well as legislation banning the Nazi salute and efforts to crack down on hate speech.
“The Albanese Government has taken a range of strong actions to stand against antisemitism and to stamp it out from our community,” Watt said, adding, “I respectfully disagree with Prime Minister Netanyahu on this matter.”