• An arsonist set fire to a Melbourne synagogue filled with worshippers; no injuries were reported.
• The attack follows a wave of antisemitic incidents linked to heightened tensions over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
• A suspect has been charged with arson in connection with the attack, prompting widespread condemnation.

An arsonist set fire to the entrance of a synagogue in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday night while around 20 worshippers were present inside for a Shabbat dinner. Fortunately, no injuries occurred as attendees evacuated through a rear door. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, which police believe was deliberately started with flammable liquid, marking another serious incident targeting the Jewish community amid a spike in antisemitic attacks across the country, particularly after the Israel-Hamas conflict escalated in October 2023, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

This incident is part of a troubling pattern; authorities noted that antisemitic crimes have surged, with both Jewish and Muslim groups recording significant increases in hate-related incidents since the conflict began. Jewish community leaders, including Alex Ryvchin from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, condemned the act as a severe escalation, highlighting the broader implications of such hate crimes on community safety and cohesion, according to Channel News Asia and CBS News.

In response to this alarming trend, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized that there is "no place for antisemitism" in the nation and pledged that those responsible for such incidents would face the "full force of the law." Albanese's statements coincided with the announcement that a 34-year-old man from Sydney had been charged with multiple offenses, including arson, significantly pointing to the urgency of government efforts to counter rising hate crimes, as reported by BBC and India Times.

The day of the attack was marred further by tensions in the city, where protesters targeted an Israeli-owned restaurant, chanting inflammatory slogans and causing damage. This pattern of violence and intimidation has alarmed community leaders and prompted calls for action from local authorities to safeguard public spaces against hate crimes, which authorities have condemned as horrifying and unacceptable, as detailed in Los Angeles Times and South China Morning Post.