ONE word — Iran — summed up the escalating war between Israel and the Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, a 2500-strong gathering of Sydney’s Jewish community was told last night.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive Vic Alhadeff laid the blame for the conflict with Iran, and denied last night’s gathering at the Great Synagogue was organised to counteract the publicity generated by the march of up to 25,000 Lebanese through the city on Saturday.

“What this issue is about is in one word: Iran,” he said.

“The criticism is that Israel has been excessive. The point that is missed is that proportionality is not about what happened yesterday, it is measured against the extent of the threat.

“The threat is enormous and extends to Iran’s world view, which is to destroy the state of Israel and to push every last Jew into thesea.”

While the words were strong, those present wanted to show their support for the Israeli Government over its handling of the Middle East conflict.

The immediate past president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, Ron Weiser, said he had never seen the Jewish communities in Australia and Israel so closely united.

“We regret the loss of civilian life, but it is a tactic of Hezbollah to hide its weapons in mosques, homes and hospitals,” Mr Weiser said yesterday.

“They consider it a public relations victory when their own people are killed. They are a cancer that needs to be removed from Lebanon.

“In my entire life there has never been such unity amongst Jewish people.

“This is not a Left-Right issue — this is a threat to the existence of Israel.”

Great Synagogue chief rabbi Jeremy Lawrence led the packed auditorium with a prayer for kidnapped soldiers: “Oh Lord ourGod, Supreme King of Kings, we pray today for the lives of ourbrothers. May we find them unharmed. May our own efforts for their liberation be blessed withsuccess.”

Rabbi Lawrence said there was a strong sense of solidarity and outrage among the Australian Jewish community over the attacks on Israel.

He said many were praying for a resolution that enabled Israel and its neighbours to live harmoniously and in peace, to respect each other’s human rights.

“It’s not surprising that the Australian coverage highlights humanitarian stories and the details of Australian interests,” Rabbi Lawrence said.

“Israel needs to respond to the terrorists where they are, and it is they who have chosen to position their launching pads in and alongside residential neighbourhoods,” he said.

“In the last week 800 missiles have been fired into Israel, into mixed population centres. These contain thousands of ball bearings calculated to cause maximum physical damage. That is very frightening.”

* 2800 Australians have been evacuated from Lebanon since Friday

* A further 3000 berths were available yesterday on three ships commissioned by DFAT

* Evacuees are being taken to Larnaca in Cyrpus or the Turkish port of Mersin. Numbers arriving at each destination are unclear because of security concerns

* 500 evacuees arrived at Sydney airport yesterday on three chartered flights from Cyprus

* Another charter flight is expected to arrive in Perth today

* On Wednesday, 234 Australians were taken to Cyprus aboard a Greek naval vessel. Another 60 were taken to Cyprus on British military helicopters

* Last Monday, about 160 Australians travelled in two buses to Damascus in Syria and then on to Amman in Jordan. Some arrived back in Australia last week