Australian PM vows ‘full force of law’ after arson attack at Melbourne synagogue

Australia’s prime minister has promised to take strong action following an apparent arson attack on a synagogue in Melbourne.

Police are looking for a man who poured liquid on the synagogue’s front door before setting it on fire on Friday night. Some 20 people having dinner inside at the time were evacuated without any injuries.

Police are also trying to determine if the incident is linked to an attack against a Jewish-owned restaurant in the city on the same night.

A string of antisemitic attacks have occurred in Australia in the past few months, sparked by tensions over the Israel-Hamas war.

The Australian government has appointed a special envoy to combat antisemitism, and passed tougher laws against hate crimes following a wave of high-profile attacks.

“Antisemitism has no place in Australia,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said following the attack on the East Melbourne synagogue.

“Those responsible for these shocking acts must face the full force of the law and my government will provide all necessary support toward this effort,” Albanese said.

It is not clear if the incident was linked to the attack on the Miznon restaurant in the city’s business district during which rioters broke in, throwing chairs and other objects while chanting “death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]”. Some of the attackers were led away in handcuffs.

“These events are a severe escalation directed towards our community,” said Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.

“There have been too many antisemitic attacks in Australia,” Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said.

“The Australian government must do more to fight this toxic disease.”

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has become a volatile political issue in Australia.

It has resulted in protests from both Jewish and Muslim communities, as well as a sharp uptick in Islamophobia and antisemitism.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 57,268 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry.