Australia PM condemns arson incident and anti-Israel graffiti

Australian police have launched an investigation after a car was set alight and houses were vandalised with anti-Israel graffiti in Sydney.

The incident has been condemned by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a "hate crime". He told ABC News: "There's no place for antisemitism in this country, or anywhere for that matter."

It comes days after a fire engulfed a synagogue in Melbourne, causing minor injuries to one man, in what police there are treating as a probable terror attack.

Authorities in Sydney said they were seeking two people aged between 15 and 20 over the vandalism incident.

The pair had been wearing "face coverings and dark clothing" and were seen running from the scene, New South Wales Police said.

"We need public assistance to come forward and help identify those two people," Commissioner Karen Webb told reporters.

Police said the car blaze was extinguished shortly after firefighters were called to the scene in Woollahra, a suburb in Sydney's east, at around 01:00 local time (14:00 GMT).

Anti-Israel messages, including "Kill Israiel" [sic], were found at the scene, scrawled on the fence of two properties and cars.

The vehicle that was set on fire had been driven to the scene by the suspects, police said.

Albanese said he had spoken to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) about the vandalism.

Earlier this week, the law enforcement body established a special taskforce to investigate incidents of antisemitism, including the alleged terror attack in Melbourne, and another vandalism spree that occurred in Woollahra last month. Police do not believe the two incidents in Woollahra are linked.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the latest incident appeared to have been "specifically designed" to "intimidate the Jewish community in Sydney".

"If the question is can we do more? I think the answer is yes, and I'm not closing the door to changes to the law," he told reporters, adding that he had spoken with Israel's Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon.

The president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, David Ossip, said his community was "deeply saddened" by what had happened, but that they would "not be cowed".