Shock new poll finds staggering number of Australians hold disturbing views about one of the darkest chapters in human history

One in five Australian adults hold strong anti-Semitic beliefs, according to a surprising new poll.

A survey carried out by the Anti-Defamation League found that 46 per cent of the world’s adult population – an estimated 2.2 billion people – harbour ‘deeply-entrenched anti-Semitic attitudes’ – double the number a decade ago.

Australia’s own Index Score, which ranks respondents’ negative stereotypes about Jews such as a lack of belief in the Holocaust or the conspiracy that Jews control world events, has increased by six percentage points since 2014.

Around 20 per cent of Australians – equivalent to 4.2million people – hold anti-Semitic  beliefs, with an alarming number of young people believing the Holocaust was a myth.

The shocking findings come amid a recent wave of anti-Semitic attacks in Sydney, with two synagogues being targeted by masked vandals who spray painted Swastikas across the places of worship last weekend.

The survey also found that 20 per cent of respondents worldwide have not heard about the Holocaust.

Globally, less than half (48 per cent) recognise the Holocaust’s historical accuracy, which falls to 39 per cent in the 18-34 age group.

While three in five (61 per cent) of Australian respondents believe the Holocaust is described accurately, fewer younger respondents agree. 

Those 18-49 aged are more likely to think the death toll was exaggerated (18 per cent), never heard of the Holocaust (nine per cent), or believed it was a myth (8 per cent).

A survey carried out by the Anti-Defamation League found that 46 per cent of the world’s adult population harbour ‘deeply-entrenched anti-Semitic attitudes’ – double the number a decade ago. Pictured is anti-Semitic graffiti  spray painted on a wall behind a burnt out car in Woollahra, in Sydney’s east

The shocking findings come amid a recent wave of anti-Semitic attacks in Sydney. Pictured is the southern Sydney synagogue in Allawah after it was targeted last Friday

In Australia, nearly three in five (57 pre cent) of people view Palestine favourably, compared to just 40 per cent who feel the same about Israel.

Meanwhile, one in five express favorability toward Hamas, including a third of 18–34-year-olds and 39 per cent of individuals who moved to Australia as adults.

Australia was the 15th least anti-Semitic country out of 103.  

Marina Rosenberg, ADL Senior Vice President for International Affairs, said anti-Semitic tropes were becoming ‘alarmingly normalized across societies worldwide’.

‘This dangerous trend is not just a threat to Jewish communities—it’s a warning to us all,’ she said.

‘Even in countries with the lowest levels of anti-Semitic attitudes globally, we’ve seen many anti-Semitic incidents perpetrated by an emboldened small, vocal and violent minority.’

ADL chief executive and former adviser to Barrack Obama Jonathan A. Greenblatt, called for a ‘whole-of-society approach’ to tackle the scourge of anti-Semitic.

‘It’s clear that we need new government interventions, more education, additional safeguards on social media, and new security protocols to prevent anti-Semitic hate crimes,’ he said.

First launched in 2014, the ADL Global 100 remains the world’s most extensive study of anti-Semitic attitudes.

Around 10 red swastikas were sprayed on the front walls of the Newtown Synagogue (pictured) in Sydney’s inner-west last Saturday

Police later released CCTV footage of two hooded men seen outside the synagogue around 4.25am on Saturday (pictured)

One man was seen pushing a mountain bike along the street (pictured)

It represents the percentage of respondents who answered ‘definitely true’ or ‘probably true’ to six or more of the 11 negative stereotypes about Jews that were tested.

For the latest survey, more than 58,000 adults from 103 countries and territories were surveyed, representing 94 percent of the global adult population.

All interviews were conducted between July 23 and November 13, 2024 and carried out via telephone, face-to-face or online questionnaires.

The Southern Sydney Synagogue in the suburb of Allawah was targeted last Friday morning by anti-Semitic vandals who daubed a number of large red Swastikas at the entrance to the place of worship.

The next morning, Newtown Synagogue in Sydney’s inner-west, was similarly targeted.

Police have since released CCTV footage of two hooded men seen outside the synagogue around 4.25am on Saturday. 

NSW Premier Chris Minns condemned the incident in Newtown and urged anyone who may have witnessed the act, to come forward.

,Restaurateur Alan Yazbek pleaded guilty to displaying a Nazi symbol during a pro-Palestine rally in Sydney ‘s Hyde Park on October 6 last year (pictured)

‘These people are determined to divide our community in two. We will always call out these acts for what they are – monstrous and appalling,’ Mr Minns said.

The Premier also announced the extension of a one-off grant of $340,000 towards enhanced temporary security measures for the NSW Jewish community.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also condemned the incident and said in a post to X on Saturday that those who committed the act ‘should face the full force of the law’.

‘The vile graffiti we’ve seen overnight, including at the Newtown Synagogue, is abhorrent and needs to stop immediately,’ Mr Albanese wrote.

‘We made it illegal to use Nazi and other hate symbols because there’s no place in Australia for anti-Semitism.’

The most recent attack saw ‘gas the Jews’ graffitied on a wall near Sydenham train station on Monday 

They are the latest attacks in a long and depressing list of anti-Semitic incidents to occur in Australia since the October 7 terror attacks.

Restaurateur Alan Yazbek pleaded guilty to displaying a Nazi symbol during a pro-Palestine rally in Sydney’s Hyde Park on October 6 last year. 

The co-owner of the Nomad Restaurant Group appeared in Downing Centre Local Court last month, where he was issued a 12-month conditional release without a conviction.