Australia’s intelligence chief: Antisemitism has risen to ‘disturbing level’

Australia's intelligence chief, Mike Burgess, stated that antisemitism has reached a "disturbing level" in the country, particularly following the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion of Israel. Speaking on the "Mitchell Unlimited" podcast, Burgess expressed concern about the potential for the Iranian regime to target prominent Jewish figures in Australia. He noted that antisemitism escalated from "threatening, intimidating behavior" to "direct targeting of people, places of worship and businesses," referencing the Bondi Beach shooting attack. Burgess also suggested that political leaders could have done more to condemn antisemitism while allowing criticism of Israel. Separately, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited a Jewish school in Sydney to understand the community's challenges, acknowledging the trauma from the Bondi attack where "teachers’ and parents’ lives were taken and students were injured."