From the SMH:

Sydney synagogue attack
Jano Gibson
July 31, 2006

A Sydney synagogue came under attack last night when a block of cement was hurled through the glass doors of an attached residence and the windows of two cars on the property were smashed, police say.

The attack happened at the Parramatta and District Synagogue on Victoria Street, Parramatta, about 9.10pm.

Police are investigating the possibility that the attack was religiously motivated.

“There’s nothing to indicate that [but] that is obviously one of our lines of inquiry,” Inspector Troy Platten said.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO, Vic Alhadeff, said the attack was “most certainly” related to the war between Israel and Lebanon.

“It’s very unfortunate when the violence in the Middle East is played out in the streets of Australia and the Jewish community believes very firmly that the dispute in the Middle East should be resolved in the Middle East,” Mr Alhadeff said.

“It’s an unfortunate reality that when there is an upsurge in the Middle East, that there’s a commensurate increase in anti-Semitic incidents in Sydney, in Australia.”

Officers were called to the synagogue property after the 32-year-old who lives in the attached residence heard the sound of glass smashing on his property.

A cement block had been thrown through glass door of his house and two cars parked under a car port had had their rear windows smashed, police said.

A group of about ten men, described as being of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean appearance, were seen by witnesses laughing and running north along Mason Street.

Five the of the men were seen getting into a white car, believed to be a Nissan Pulsar or Toyota Corolla, before driving away.

The rest of the group ran to the end of the street before turning into Macarthur Street.

The occupants of the attacked residence declined to comment when contacted by smh.com.au this morning.

Police are urging anyone with information about the attack to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Comment: Regardless of what you think about the current situation in the Middle East and well, being a bunch of peace, love and understanding type folk, we’re obviously not too impressed with the way Israel is conducting itself . Regardless, attacking Synagogues with concrete blocks isn’t really the way to vent your frustration. Likewise would be the situation of someone tagging up a Mosque (as happened in Auckland after the London Bombings). It’s dead stupid.