Australian Prime Minister calls suspected synagogue arson an act of terrorism
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday that an alleged arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue appeared to be an act of terror, a day after Israel’s prime minister said the Labor government’s anti-Israel policies prompted the crime.
“The atrocity that occurred at the Melbourne synagogue was clearly designed to instill fear in the community, so from my personal perspective it does meet the definition of terrorism,” Albanese told a news conference in Perth.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the fire at the Adas Israel synagogue early on Friday was inseparable from the “anti-Israel spirit” of Albania’s centre-left government, whose policies include support for a recent United Nations motion.
News you can trust and daily fun, right in your inbox
Experience it firsthand — The Yodel is your go-to source for daily news, entertainment and light-hearted stories.
Australia’s government has defended its record on anti-Semitism, saying on Saturday it had provided $25 million since Albanese took office in May 2022 to upgrade security at Jewish venues including schools and ban swastikas. etiquette and take action against hate speech.
The law passed last year also bans the public display of terrorist group symbols.
Police are still searching for two people suspected of deliberately setting a fire that injured one person and caused extensive damage.
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023, Australia has experienced an increase in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents.
Dozens of pro-Palestinian protests over the past year have been largely peaceful. However, the government fears the protests could exacerbate communal tensions and undermine social harmony.
(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Michael Perry and Christopher Cushing)
