Terror investigation launched after arson attack on French synagogue injures officer

French authorities have launched a terrorism investigation following an arson attack on the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motte, a seaside town near Montpellier, on 24 August 2024. A suspect, draped in a Palestinian flag, set fire to two cars outside the synagogue, one of which contained a gas cylinder, causing an explosion that injured a police officer. The attack occurred during Shabbat, though no religious service was underway at the time.

The incident, treated as a terrorist act by the French government, has sparked outrage and concern. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack as an act of terror, stating on X that “the fight against anti-Semitism is a constant battle.” Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin visited the scene, with Attal describing the incident as an “anti-Semitic act” that nearly led to an “absolute tragedy.”

Authorities are intensifying efforts to capture the suspect, who remains at large. Surveillance footage shows the attacker carrying two bottles filled with a yellowish liquid and a possible handgun, further heightening security concerns. The investigation is led by France's national anti-terror prosecutors, with additional police presence deployed around Jewish sites nationwide.

This attack comes amid a surge in anti-Semitic incidents in France, with the government recording nearly triple the number of cases in the first half of 2024 compared to the previous year. The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) has strongly condemned the attack, describing it as an attempt to kill Jews.

President Macron and other French leaders have vowed to bring the perpetrator to justice. In light of this and recent events, security has been reinforced at Jewish institutions across the country.

(Sources: Agence France-Presse, Reuters, CNN, Al Jazeera)