Australia PM says suspected synagogue arson appears to be terrorist act
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Jewish community supporters gathering during a rally in Melbourne, on Dec 8, following an arson attack on Adass Israel Synagogue.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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SYDNEY - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Dec 8 that suspected arson at a Melbourne synagogue appeared to be an act of terror, a day after his Israeli counterpart said the Labor government had motivated the crime with anti-Israel policies.
He said the fire at the synagogue was the “definition of terrorism”.
“There has been a worrying rise in anti-Semitism,” the Prime Minister told reporters, adding that he would continue to “call it out”.
“Terrorism is something that is aimed at creating fear in the community, and the atrocities that occurred at the synagogue in Melbourne clearly were designed to create fear in the community,” he said. the Adass Israel synagogue ablaze before dawn
Mask-wearing arsonists set
Australian police – who determine whether an incident is a terrorist act – will meet on Dec 9 to see if the fire meets the official criteria, as they continue to hunt down the two arsonists.
The attack has drawn widespread condemnation within Australia and abroad.
Conservative politicians and Jewish groups have criticised Mr Albanese’s government for what they say is a failure to call out anti-Semitism.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton pointed the finger at Mr Albanese, saying on Dec 8 that the Prime Minister believed “that by not taking a strong stance in relation to anti-Semitism, that somehow that will deliver him political benefit domestically”.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Dec 7 that the incident could not be separated from the “anti-Israel spirit” of Mr Albanese’s centre-left government, whose policies include support of a recent United Nations motion backing a Palestinian state.
His comments came just days after Australia voted for a UN General Assembly resolution that demanded the end of Israel’s “unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.
New Zealand, Britain and Canada were among 157 countries that voted for the resolution, with eight against.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong defended the vote, saying: “Australia is part of the overwhelming majority of the international community that wants to end the war and see a two-state solution.”
But while Australians were “free to support or disagree with the actions of Israel”, Ms Wong said this must not be used “as a cloak for prejudice”.
“Targeting the Australian Jewish community is an act of anti-Semitism and utterly unacceptable,” she said, adding that “turning this into a political fight is reckless”.
Australia’s government also defended its record on anti-Semitism, saying on Dec 7 that since Mr Albanese took office in May 2022, the government has provided A$25 million (S$21.5 million) to upgrade security at Jewish sites including schools, banned the Nazi salute and taken action against hate speech.
Laws passed in 2023 also banned public displays of terror group symbols.
Australia has experienced a rise in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents since the start of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023. Some Jewish groups have said the government has not done enough in response.
Dozens of pro-Palestine protests over the past year have been largely peaceful. However, the government has expressed concern that protests could inflame community tension and disrupt social harmony. REUTERS, AFP
