'Sanction Israel' banner held outside Sydney Great Synagogue

The synagogue's "services have been regularly disrupted to accommodate often incendiary protests in its immediate vicinity," said the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies.

Great Synagogue of Sydney (photo credit: MATTHEW SHUGART/FLICKR)
Great Synagogue of Sydney
(photo credit: MATTHEW SHUGART/FLICKR)

A banner calling for the sanctioning of Israel was held outside the Great Sydney Synagogue on Sunday, according to the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies.

The board said that the placement of the white banner proclaiming "sanction Israel" was "pure, unadulterated antisemitism which is intended to have a chilling and intimidating effect on members of the Synagogue and the Jewish community more broadly."

The synagogue's "services have been regularly disrupted to accommodate often incendiary protests in its immediate vicinity," said the board. "Now The Great Synagogue itself has come under attack."

The board called on other Australians to condemn the behavior. The Australian Jewish Association blamed the ruling Labor Party for degraded social cohesion in the country.

 Pro-Palestinian symbols are spray-painted on the U.S. consulate in Sydney, Australia June 10, 2024. (credit: AAP/Stephanie Moring/via REUTERS )
Pro-Palestinian symbols are spray-painted on the U.S. consulate in Sydney, Australia June 10, 2024. (credit: AAP/Stephanie Moring/via REUTERS )

"It was never about anything Israel did," AJA said on X. "It has always been about hatred of Jews."

Banner displayed throughout the city

An identical banner has been displayed in Instagram videos of past anti-Israel protests. Australia Palestine Advocacy Network shared a video on Instagram on Tuesday in which activists displayed a similar banner throughout the city and outside the Labor Party headquarters and New South Wales Parliament.