Australian anti-Semitic attacks stay at high level, report finds

jerusalem (jps) | Attacks on Jews in Australia continue to hit record levels, thanks in part to the growing use of the Internet by anti-Semitic groups, a report released by Australian Jewry's umbrella organization has found.

In its annual report on anti-Semitism in Australia, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry said that the number of anti-Jewish attacks which took place between October 2003 and September 2004 were 50 percent higher than the average recorded over the past 14 years.

These included incidents in which the words "kill the Jews" were burned into the lawn outside the state parliament of Tasmania, as well as anti-Semitic graffiti, attacks on synagogues and on individuals and their property.

A total of 455 such attacks took place during the recording period, marking the third year in a row that the number was over 450.

Council President Jeremy Jones said that modern technology such as the Internet was helping anti-Semites to "spread the most ancient of hatreds."

"In a sense Australia was protected from the worst excesses of racism from other countries, but now people in Australia can be part of international groups that operate through the Internet."