Australian police launch a special operation to investigate increased antisemitic attacks

Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian federal police have launched a special operation to investigate an increase in antisemitic threats and violence since the war between Israel and Hamas began last year. Jewish leaders say prejudice against their community has reached unprecedented levels, with most incidents reported in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia’s largest cities where 85% of the nation’s Jewish population live. Almost 117,000 Jewish people live in Australia, according to the last census in 2021, or 0.46% of the 25.4 million residents. The government says only Israel is home to more Holocaust survivors than Australia on a per capita basis. Here’s a look at some of the main cases investigated by Special Operation Avalite: