Home Affairs Minister Burke Labels Melbourne Synagogue Arson Attack on Australia, NSW Man Charged

A 34-year-old man from New South Wales has been charged over an arson attack on the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue, where he allegedly set fire to the entrance after pouring a flammable liquid. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke condemned the act as an "attack on Australia" and emphasized that antisemitism has no place in the country, noting that the Jewish community and broader Australian society were harmed. Burke, who has met with Jewish leaders and the synagogue's Rabbi Dovid Gutnick, highlighted the government's strong measures against hate symbols and hate speech, while stressing that eliminating antisemitism is a collective responsibility. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attacks reprehensible hate crimes and urged the Australian government to take decisive action. Police are investigating whether the incident was motivated by terrorism and whether it is linked to other disturbances, including a protest at a nearby Israeli eatery. The accused appeared in court and was remanded until a hearing in July.