‘Outrage’: Attacks follows warnings over Albanese Government

Two “persons of interest” spread accelerant with a broom at a Jewish synagogue overnight with ASIO and counter terrorism police on the case.

Anthony Albanese has declared a suspected arson attack at a Melbourne synagogue by two masked men early on Friday morning an “outrage” revealing that ASIO and counter-terrorism police are examining CCTV.

Less than 24 hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly criticised the Albanese government over its retreating support for Israel and promotion of Palestinian statehood at the UN, as inviting terrorism, the arson attack that ripped through the synagogue has left the community in shock.

The fire began at one of Australia’s busiest synagogue’s, the Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne around 4.10am at Ripponlea in Melbourne’s southeast.

The fire began at one of Australia’s busiest synagogue’s about 4.10am on Friday. Picture: Supplied

There are reports that two masked men were seen pouring petrol over the synagogue’s front entrance and that windows were smashed and molotov cocktails thrown into the building.

One man who was inside at the time is believed to have burnt his hand escaping the building.

The Prime Minister has revealed that ASIO had briefed him on the attack early this morning.

“This is an outrage,’’ Mr Albanese said.

“The violence, intimidation and destruction of a place of worship is something that we should never see in Australia.

“It’s risked lives and it’s clearly aimed at creating fear in the community.

“There are two persons of interest who were there. What was witnessed was them using accelerant and spreading it with a broom clearly designed to maximise the damage that could occur.”

Anthony Albanese said the suspected arson was an “outrage”. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Victoria police’s arson squad is leading the investigation at this stage with counter terrorism police also engaging with local police.

“I have zero tolerance for antisemitism. It has absolutely no place in Australia,’’ Mr Albanese said in a statement.

“This violence and intimidation and destruction at a place of worship is an outrage.

“The people involved must be caught and face the full force of the law.

“I have been briefed by the AFP Commissioner this morning. The Commonwealth will provide full assistance to Victorian authorities.”

There are reports that two masked men were seen pouring petrol over the synagogue’s front entrance. Picture: ABC

Peter Dutton has accused the Albanese Goverment of “directly condoning” the ostracisation of Jewish Australians in the wake of a shocking arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue.

Speaking at a press conference in the NSW town of Kiama, Mr Dutton said he would “always stand up for people of Jewish faith”.

“The way they have been ostracised in our country and the way that has been condoned, directly, by the prime minister and others just has no place in our society,” he said.

“It’s impossible to imagine the Bob Hawke or Paul Keating or even Kevin Rudd or Julia Gillard would have taken the path that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has.

“I think it has left our country less safe, I think it has created an air of uncertainty and, frankly, a lot of people in the Jewish community don’t only feel uncertain, they feel unsafe.”

Mr Dutton said there has been a sharp rise of antisemitism in Australia since October 7.

“It’s absolutely abhorrent to see any place of worship attacked,” he said. “I want to pretend that this wasn’t expected or that it couldn’t be predicted.

“Everybody knew that anti-semitism, that hatred and that vilification, that racism, was lurking beneath the surface. But what we’ve seen on our university campuses, what we’ve seen online, what we’ve seen against people of Jewish faith in the community has been completely and utterly unacceptable, and it should be totally condemned in our country,” he said.

“To see the firebombing of a synagogue, a place of worship, is something that is not welcome and has no place in our country whatsoever.” ”.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie said the rise in anti-semitism in Australia was disturbing.

“We’ve got schoolchildren being harassed on their way to school, Jewish businesses being boycotted, and now Jewish places of worship being set alight,” Senator McKenzie said on ABC Radio National.

“I think we all need to be very concerned about what’s occurring in our suburbs and our capital cities in the last 12 months, because the level of escalation is like nothing I’ve ever seen in my lifetime.”

Australia voted on Wednesday (AEDT) in favour of Israel withdrawing its “unlawful presence” from the West Bank, Gaza and eastern Jerusalem.

There are reports windows were smashed and molotov cocktails thrown into the building. Picture: NewsWire/ Andrew Henshaw

The resolution also called for settlers to be removed from the West Bank, while a separate UN vote calling on Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights, which was part of Syria until 1967, was not supported.

Synagogue board member Binyomin Klein told the Herald Sun two people in the Synagogue were forced to flee after an accelerant was splashed into the building from outside.

“They saw people throw liquid inside and light it on fire,” Mr Klein said. “The two guys had to run out the back door … One of them got burns on his hands.”

“This synagogue is one of the busiest in Australia … The synagogue is the centre of the community,” he said. “For the jewel in the crown to be burnt like that is horrendous.”

“This synagogue was built by Holocaust survivors and this just brings back terrible memories.”

The Prime Minister has revealed that ASIO had briefed him on the attack. Picture: NewsWire/ Andrew Henshaw

One man was inside at the time. Picture: NewsWire/ Andrew Henshaw

Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler said the firebombing of a synagogue in Melbourne was shocking.

“No one should be surprised; this violent attack is a direct consequence of words turning into actions. Jew-hatred, left unchecked, endangers all Australians,’’ he said.

“Enough is enough, this is a stain on our nation. It’s time for all levels of government to turn their words into actions to stamp out this Jew-hatred.“

Deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley denounced the attack on Channel 7’s Sunrise.

“I feel for the Jewish community today waking up to this news and let’s see what develops from it. It makes me feel quite sick to the stomach,” Ms Ley said to Channel 7.

Education Minister Jason Clare said the attack was “the opposite of what Australia was about.”

“It’s pretty clear from … reporting this is no accident. This is a deliberate act of violence, an attack on a place of worship. Let’s call it out, there is no place for this in Australia. I hope that the police catch the perpetrators,” Mr Clare said.

More to come