Australia’s intelligence chief defines antisemitic threat as 'top priority'

The head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), Mike Burgess, told the nation's Senate Committee on Tuesday that addressing the rise of antisemitic threats has become his agency's "top priority." Australia is home to approximately 100,000 Jews.

"In terms of threats to life, [antisemitism is] my agency's number one priority because of the weight of incidents we're seeing play out in this country," Burgess stated.

"Antisemitism and significant antisemitism acts are prominent in our investigation caseload at this point in time," he revealed. 

He assessed that this was likely the first time in Australian history that a particular form of racism had become a top priority for the national intelligence agency. 

"I don't believe we've done that in history, certainly not my six years as director-general," Burgess said. 

The number of antisemitic incidents in Australia increased by a whopping 400% since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, according to a report by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ). 

ECAJ Research Director Julie Nathan expressed concern about the dramatic rise of hatred against Jews in Australia, a country that has a history of tolerance towards immigrant minorities. 

“If anything, the raw numbers understate the seriousness of the surge in antisemitism that has occurred. There have been many new forms and expressions of anti-Jewish racism that would once have been considered alien to Australia, but which have become commonplace,” Nathan said. 

Much of the current antisemitic wave in Australia is driven by radicalized individuals with a Muslim and Middle Eastern background. 

In a recent assessment, Burgess said that "antisemitism festered in Australia before the tragic events in the Middle East, but the drawn-out conflict gave it oxygen – and gave some antisemites an excuse." 

"Jewish Australians were also increasingly conflated with the state of Israel, leading to an increase in antisemitic incidents," the Australian intelligence chief continued, adding that he is "concerned these attacks have not yet plateaued." 

Burgess further argued that it "defies logic that people can hold Jewish Australians to account for the actions of the Israeli state." He said that "some people have those very strong views that might drive a small number to think that violence is acceptable."

In December, at least two Australian synagogues were targeted in two separate antisemitic attacks in Melbourne and Sydney.

At the time, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the antisemitic attacks on the synagogues and stressed that Jew-hatred will not be tolerated in Australian society. 

“The incident in Sydney is an outrage and another antisemitic attack. I will be briefed by AFP Operation Avalite officials this morning. I stand with the Jewish community and unequivocally condemn this attack. There is no place for hatred or antisemitism in our community,” Albanese stated. 

In early February, it was reported that two Australian healthcare workers of Muslim descent had threatened to murder Israeli Jews and refused to treat them in hospital. 

While Australian officials have strongly condemned antisemitic incidents, critics have argued that Australia is not doing enough to combat the trend.. 

Burges admitted that antisemitism has become a serious security threat in Australian society. However, he argued that Australian authorities are addressing what has been described by historians as the world’s oldest hatred and bigotry. 

"Investigations do take time, and it's not because we're sitting back admiring the problem, but actually getting a grip of the problem does take time," the intelligence chief concluded.