Australian police are searching for two individuals suspected of deliberately starting a fire at the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne on Friday. The fire caused significant damage and left one person injured. The suspects were reportedly wearing masks when they set the blaze early in the morning.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack, calling it an act of violence and intimidation aimed at instilling fear in the community. He emphasized that there is no place for anti-Semitism in Australia, and counter-terrorism police are working with state authorities on the investigation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the attack as a “despicable anti-Semitic event” and criticized the Australian government’s policies toward Israel, particularly its support for a recent UN motion endorsing a Palestinian state. Netanyahu linked the attack to what he called the anti-Israel sentiment within Australia’s Labour government, asserting that “anti-Israelism is anti-Semitism.”
Police in Victoria state believe the fire was deliberately set, with a worshipper witnessing two individuals spreading accelerant inside the synagogue before igniting the flames. Investigations are ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the motives behind the attack.
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