Antisemitic Incidents Quadrupled in Australia in 2024

Thursday, 8 May 2025 | Australia experienced a fourfold increase in documented antisemitic incidents in 2024—the steepest rise among English-speaking countries with available data—according to the “J7 Annual Report on Antisemitism 2025,” published Wednesday. 

The report compiles statistics from member organizations of the J7 task force, a global coalition formed in 2023 that includes the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in the United States and partner groups in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and Argentina. 

While the United States reported the highest number of incidents in absolute terms—9,354 in 2024, up from 8,873 the previous year—Australia registered the most dramatic relative increase, with reported antisemitic incidents rising from 495 to 2,062. 

The ADL, which authored the US chapter alongside the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, noted that the 2024 figures marked the highest level ever recorded in the 45-year history of its annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents. The 5% increase year over year, the report said, “demonstrates that elevated antisemitism has become a persistent reality for American Jewish communities since October 7, 2023, rather than just a temporary spike.” 

In Australia, the spike in antisemitism was not only numerical but also marked by an escalation in severity. Incidents included the arson of a Melbourne synagogue in December, vandalism and attacks on Jewish homes, and the March discovery of a van packed with explosives and a list of Jewish targets in a Sydney suburb. 

“There is a widespread sense of insecurity across the Jewish community—of not knowing what is coming next, and not knowing whether governments, police services, and leaders of civil society will respond appropriately, not respond at all, or respond in a way that allows the situation to worsen,” states the report, with the Australian chapter authored by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ). 

A separate Israeli government report published Monday echoed concerns about the Australian government’s response, stating that community members “accuse the government that in its ignoring of antisemitic incidents and taking a harsh anti-Israeli policy, it is creating a tailwind for antisemitism in the country.” 

In contrast, the J7 report credited the Biden administration with continuing to implement the US National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, citing over 100 policy actions across federal agencies. These efforts aimed to raise awareness, improve safety, counter normalization of antisemitism, and promote intercommunity solidarity. 

However, the administration has faced criticism for allegedly not doing enough, particularly in response to campus unrest. In 2024, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) wrote to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, expressing concern over the slow pace of investigations into antisemitic incidents and a lack of adequate resources. 

Former Israeli ambassador to the US, Michael Oren, accused the Biden administration of downplaying the issue for political reasons. “They want to get re-elected, and they’re afraid of what’s going to happen in the swing states,” he told NBC last year. 

The report also noted actions taken under former President Donald Trump’s administration to combat antisemitism, including executive orders, the formation of an interagency task force, and increased scrutiny of campus activities. 

“These are positive steps,” the ADL wrote, “but there is a need to monitor their effectiveness and ensure they do not infringe on due process.” 

In some cases, US authorities have deported or ordered the deportation of foreign students allegedly involved in anti-Israel activity on campus. Among them is Mahmoud Khalil, an Algerian green card holder whose deportation has become a test case for the government’s approach. His case, now the subject of legal challenges, has drawn national attention as a symbol of the Trump-era crackdown on campus activism that veers into antisemitism.