“We are doing everything we can”: Australian government reacts as Israel calls for renewed efforts against anti-Semitism

A police officer stands near anti-Israel graffiti sprayed on a wall in Sydney on December 11, 2024 [File: Mick Tsikas/AAP via AP Photo]
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has called on Australia to intensify its response to what he described as an “epidemic of anti-Semitism” spreading across the country.
In response, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended his government’s actions, stating, “We are doing everything we can” to combat such incidents.
Speaking to ABC Radio, he pointed to the arrests and detentions of individuals involved in attacks as evidence of the government’s commitment, emphasizing that suspects were being held without bail.
Australia’s Jewish community has faced several anti-Semitic attacks since the Israel-Gaza war erupted in October 2023.
In the latest incidents, a Jewish school and two other properties in Sydney were vandalized with anti-Semitic slurs.
Authorities also revealed that a foiled attack involving explosives in a Sydney suburb was under investigation, though they had yet to confirm if it was specifically targeting people with Jewish backgrounds.