Monday, December 09, 2024 - Masked assailants set the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne ablaze during an early morning attack on Friday, December 6, leaving the building gutted and prompting widespread condemnation.
The fire began at 4:10 am local time in the Ripponlea
suburb, with congregants already inside. Though there were no serious injuries,
one individual suffered burns to the hand while escaping.
Witnesses reported seeing two masked individuals spreading
an accelerant inside the synagogue before setting it alight, according to
Victorian police. Detective Inspector Chris Murray confirmed the fire was
deliberate and targeted, although the motive remains unknown. Police are
reviewing CCTV footage and have increased patrols to apprehend the
perpetrators.
Television footage showed firefighters extinguishing flames
through the building’s charred entrance, while synagogue board member Benjamin
Klein described the interior as “completely gutted.” Religious items, including
Torah scrolls—one brought to Australia during World War II—were saved by
congregants forming a human chain.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack,
calling it an outrage and emphasizing Australia’s zero tolerance for
anti-Semitism. Federal police will assist in the investigation. Israeli
President Isaac Herzog also denounced the arson and urged firm action against
rising anti-Semitic incidents globally.
This incident follows heightened security at the synagogue
over the past year and growing concerns within Australia’s Jewish community
amid tensions from the Gaza conflict. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry
has noted increased threats and fears of such attacks since the war began.
The Gaza conflict has claimed thousands of lives, including
over 44,000 in Gaza and more than 1,200 in Israel, intensifying global
divisions and sparking protests. The Melbourne attack underscores escalating
fears of anti-Semitic violence amid the ongoing crisis.
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