Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged Australia to apply the full force of its law to prevent “reprehensible” antisemitic attacks, after a Melbourne synagogue was set on fire with 20 people inside.
A 34-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with the alleged arson attack on Friday night, when 20 people were inside the East Melbourne Synagogue. The congregation escaped unharmed through a rear door, and firefighters managed to contain the blaze to the entrance area of the 148-year-old building.
Police said the arrested man, Angelo Loras, is a resident of Sydney, the capital of neighbouring New South Wales. He has been charged with offences including criminal damage by fire.
“I view with utmost gravity the antisemitic attacks that occurred last night in Melbourne, which included attempted arson of a synagogue in the city and a violent assault against an Israeli restaurant by pro-Palestinian rioters,” Mr Netanyahu said in posts on X (Twitter) on Sunday morning.
“The reprehensible antisemitic attacks, with calls of ‘Death to the IDF’ and an attempt to attack a place of worship, are severe hate crimes that must be uprooted.
“The state of Israel will continue to stand alongside the Australian Jewish community, and we demand that the Australian government take all action to deal with the rioters to the fullest extent of the law and prevent similar attacks in the future.”
Victoria police said the Toongabbie man was charged with “reckless conduct endanger life, reckless conduct endanger serious injury, criminal damage by fire, and possess a controlled weapon”.
“Detectives will continue to examine the intent and ideology of the person charged to determine if the incident is in fact terrorism,” police said.
It was the first of three suspected antisemitic incidents in Melbourne between Friday night and early Saturday.
Authorities have yet to establish a link between the incident at the synagogue and the two attacks on businesses.
A restaurant was attacked on Friday night, with protesters chanting “Death to the IDF”, in reference to the Israel Defence Forces. Police are also investigating the spray-painting of a business in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, along with an arson attack on three vehicles linked to the business before dawn on Saturday.
Israeli president Isaac Herzog joined Mr Netanyahu in warning that the attack must be Australia’s “last”.
“It is intolerable that in 2025, we are still faced with the chilling image of an attempt to burn Jews alive as they pray, and attacks on Jewish businesses,” he said as he urged the Australian government to confront the “stain” of antisemitism with “urgency and resolve”.
Australian home affairs minister Tony Burke met with Jewish leaders at the damaged synagogue on Sunday. Mr Burke told reporters that investigators were searching for potential links between the three incidents.
“At this stage, our authorities have not drawn links between them. But obviously there’s a link in antisemitism. There’s a link in bigotry. There’s a link in a willingness to either call for violence, to chant violence or to take out violent actions. They are very much linked in that way,” Mr Burke said.
“There were three attacks that night and none of them belonged in Australia. Arson attacks, the chanting calls for death, other attacks and graffiti – none of it belonged in Australia and they were attacks on Australia,” Mr Burke added.
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