A Sydney suburb was hit with a wave of anti-Israel graffiti early on Saturday morning, according to the New South Wales Police and incoming Australia and Israel Jewish Affairs Council Sydney office head Arsen Ostrovsky.
Several structures and signs were vandalized before dawn in the Bondi Beach area, with NSW police seeking information about two masked men in their 20s.
In red spray paint, the graffiti cursed Israel, reading “F**k Zionist Israel,” “F**k the IDF,” “Israel commits genocide,” and “Israel has blood on their hands,” according to Ostrovsky, who had been on a morning run when he saw it.
The police released CCTV footage of two suspects in the hope of obtaining aid from the public in identifying them. A 38-year-old man was arrested in relation to the investigation, but was later allowed to leave without being charged.
Australian leaders condemn anti-Jewish Bondi graffiti
Ostrovsky said that such graffiti has become far too common in Australia, reflecting “the alarming surge in Jew-hatred since October 7, including the defilement of Australian landmarks being hijacked as platforms for intimidation and incitement against the Jewish community.”
“Thankfully, he added, “NSW Police were immediately on the scene, but it is imperative now that these perpetrators be identified and held fully accountable. Australia cannot allow this kind of hate to fester or become normalized.”
Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler said that the graffiti at Bondi Beach was “yet another attempt to intimidate Jewish Australians.”
“We’ve seen these tactics before, and they don’t work. Our community remains strong, proudly Zionist, united, and absolutely determined not to be cowed by hate,” Leibler said.