Australia investigates possible foreign involvement in wave of anti-Semitism hitting the country

Amid a surge of anti-Semitic incidents in Australia, the Australian Federal Police have launched an investigation into whether local criminals are receiving overseas funding to carry out attacks against the Jewish community, according to a report by the BBC.

Primary suspicion centers on Iran, which is known to fund several terrorist organizations in the Middle East, including Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen, among others.

It is also worth noting that over the past year, Tehran has made attempts to target Israelis and Jews in various countries around the world.

Significant increase in anti-Semitism reported in recent months

In recent months, Australia has seen a notable rise in the number of reported anti-Semitic incidents.

The most recent incident took place on Tuesday in Sydney, where a Jewish community daycare center was set on fire in the early hours of the morning, accompanied by antisemitic graffiti found nearby. 

The day care center, which is located near a Jewish school and synagogue, sustained significant damage, according to local police. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

An earlier attack took place four days prior in the neighborhood where Alex Ryvchin, a prominent leader of Australia’s Jewish community, previously lived. Security camera footage shows two hooded individuals pouring flammable liquid on the pavement before igniting it, resulting in the destruction of four vehicles and damage to a house. The vandals also spray-painted anti-Semitic graffiti on a car.

Additionally, in December, a fire broke out in a synagogue in Melbourne, resulting in two injuries and significant property damage. According to a witness, a group of individuals entered the building through a window and set the interior of the temple on fire.

The response of the Australian authorities

Speaking at a press conference after the attack on the kindergarten, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns described the incident as a "vicious hate crime" and stated that police are actively investigating. He added, "These bastards will be rounded up."

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has faced strong criticism over the lack of arrests in connection with these hate crimes, condemned the kindergarten fire as "a vicious crime." He convened a cabinet meeting to address the issue, during which it was decided to establish a national database to track anti-Semitic incidents.

Reece Kershaw, the Federal Police commissioner, stated that the force is investigating whether overseas organizations or individuals are funding local criminals to carry out hate crimes. He also suggested that cryptocurrency might have been used for these transactions.

The official also mentioned that the police are looking into whether the perpetrators of the anti-Semitic attacks were radicalized by consuming anti-Semitic propaganda online.

It is worth noting that the Federal Police established a special task force in December to investigate these acts of hatred and has since received over 166 reports of anti-Semitic incidents. 

The state of New South Wales has also established a task force to address these incidents. So far, 36 individuals have been charged with anti-Semitic acts, although there is no evidence linking them to the arson or graffiti.

Antisemitism on the rise since the October 7 massacre

Anti-Semitic incidents in Australia have surged significantly since the October 7 massacre. In recent weeks, at least six attacks have been reported in Sydney, involving the vandalism of Jewish-related property.