Rising Antisemitic Incidents Stir Alarm in Sydney

A home in Sydney, previously owned by a Jewish leader, was vandalized and targeted with antisemitic slurs, marking the third attack on the Jewish community recently. Police are investigating potential connections with ongoing tensions over Israel's conflict with Hamas. Authorities fear a rise in antisemitic acts locally.

A Sydney residence, once owned by a senior Jewish community leader, was vandalized Friday morning and two vehicles were torched, Australian authorities reported. One car was defaced with an antisemitic slur. This incident marks the third attack on Sydney's Jewish community in a two-month span.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns condemned the acts as "horrifying antisemitic attacks" during a press briefing. Although investigators have not confirmed a direct link between the attacks and the residence, Minns remarked it would be a "massive coincidence" if they were unrelated.

The attack follows rising antisemitic activities in Australia since Israel's retaliation against Hamas on October 7, 2023. This latest act of violence coincides with delicate ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas over Gaza hostilities, though political hurdles remain as Israeli ministers express discontent with the terms.

(With inputs from agencies.)