Brussels, August 25 – The European Jewish Congress strongly condemns the arson attack on a synagogue in southern France on Saturday morning as Jews had gathered to attend Shabbat prayers.
An explosion occurred at the synagogue at La Grande Motte, deliberately caused by two cars being set alight outside the building. A police officer was seriously injured in the blast. Five congregants including the rabbi were present at the synagogue but were thankfully uninjured.
The suspect, who was filmed wrapped in a Palestinian flag during the attack, also set fire to entrance doors at the building. He was detained by law enforcement after opening fire on police in Nimes later yesterday.
“Setting off an explosion outside a synagogue on a Shabbat morning has one aim – to kill Jews,” EJC President Dr Ariel Muzicant said.
“A persistent environment of hate speech and hate marches targeting Jews and Israel always has the same result, “ he added. “Jewish communities, institutions and people are on the front line facing the violent antisemites.”
Muzicant further noted the normalisation of such hate speech within parts of the political echelon.
“The violent thugs, the terrorists and antisemites also find succour from the words and actions of politicians who think they can spew antisemitic rhetoric in some sort of political vacuum. Saturday’s attack is one of many that categorically proves that they don’t.”
The EJC notes a growing wave of antisemitic attacks in France, which have spiralled since the October 7 brutal murderous attack on Israel. The country has seen a 300 percent increase in antisemitic attacks in this period.
“A horrific massacre here was narrowly averted,” Muzicant said. “The French government, along with governments across Europe must enhance measures outside Jewish institutions to guarantee the security of Jewish citizens, while working constantly to combat this environment of hate. An appropriate start would be a zero-tolerance policy towards marches of hate against Jews and Israel on the streets of our cities.”
The EJC wishes a speedy recovery to the police officer injured in the attack. We are fully conscious and appreciative of the efforts of police and security services who are so often also victims of these attacks.
