Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other high-ranking Israeli officials have responded with fury to the attacks on a Melbourne synagogue and Jewish restaurant on Friday night.
In a Hebrew-language statement posted overnight, Mr Netanyahu called the attack on the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation and Miznon restaurant “vile” and called on the Australian government to take “all necessary measures” to bring the offenders to justice.
“Vile antisemitic attacks, accompanied by chants of ‘Death to the IDF’ and an attempt to harm a house of worship, are serious hate crimes that must be uprooted at their source,” he said.
“Israel will continue to stand with the Jewish community in Australia, and we call on the Australian government to take all necessary measures to bring the rioters to justice and to prevent such attacks in the future.”
In a statement posted to X, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel stood “firmly” with the Jewish community in Australia.
“I strongly condemn last night’s vile antisemitic attacks in Melbourne, including the arson attack on the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue and the targeted violence at the Israeli restaurant Miznon,” he said.
“Israel stands firmly with the Jewish community in Australia.
“There have been too many antisemitic attacks in Australia.
“The Australian government must do more to fight this poisonous disease.”
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, meanwhile, called the synagogue attack “chilling”.
“I condemn outright the vile arson attack targeting Jews in Melbourne’s historic and oldest synagogue on the Sabbath, and on an Israeli restaurant where people had come to enjoy a meal together,” he said on X.
“It is intolerable that in 2025, we are still faced with the chilling image of an attempt to burn Jews alive as they pray, and attacks on Jewish businesses.
“This is not the first such attack in Australia in recent months. But it must be the last.
“Australian authorities must take all steps necessary to protect their Jewish citizens. anti-Semitism is a stain on any society and must be confronted with urgency and resolve.”
I strongly condemn last night’s vile antisemitic attacks in Melbourne, including the arson attack on the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue and the targeted violence at the Israeli restaurant Miznon.
— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) July 5, 2025
Israel stands firmly with the Jewish community in Australia.
There…
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has led the government response to Friday’s attack.
On Sunday, he said he had spoken with Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon over the phone.
“I had a good conversation yesterday with the Israeli ambassador,” Mr Burke said from the synagogue.
“He had heard that I was coming today and rang me to thank me.
“And he took it as a signal that the government was taking this very seriously.”
Mr Burke also said that even though “no one was physically injured”, it did not mean “no one was harmed”.
“The community here was harmed,” he said.
“The Jewish community in Australia was harmed and we were harmed as a nation.”
Mr Burke said there were multiple attacks on Friday “and none of them belonged in Australia”.
“And they were attacks on Australia,” he said.
Relations between Australia and Israel have been strained in recent months by the Albanese government’s repeated calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Mr Netanyahu last year accused Labor of being anti-Israel, partly blaming its stance on Gaza as fuelling a surge in anti-Semitism in Australia.
Last month, the Albanese geasovernment sanctioning two senior Israeli ministers last month.
NSW man charged
Victoria Police have charged a man with recklessly endangering life for allegedly setting fire to the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation with some 20 people inside.
The police have alleged 34-year-old Angelo Loras from NSW entered the grounds of the synagogue about 8pm on Friday night.
“The man allegedly poured a flammable liquid on the front door of the building and set it on fire before fleeing the scene on foot in a westerly direction along Albert Street,” the police said in a statement.
“There were approximately 20 people inside the synagogue at the time of the incident taking part in Shabbat.”
The worshippers fled the building and nobody was injured in the incident.
Firefighters attended the scene and the fire was contained to the entrance.
The police arrested the man on Saturday night about 8.15pm in the CBD.
“He was interviewed by detectives and charged with reckless conduct endanger life, reckless conduct endanger serious injury, criminal damage by fire, and possess a controlled weapon,” the police said.
He faced court on Sunday and will return to court later this month.
The police said they were still assessing whether the incident constituted an act of terrorism.
“Detectives will continue to examine the intent and ideology of the person charged to determine if the incident is in fact terrorism,” the police said.
The police released an image of the man on Saturday.
“He is pictured wearing a dark blue or black jumper, black pants and a black beanie,” the statement read.
Premier Jacinta Allan slammed the man’s behaviour as “disgraceful” and labelled it an act of anti-Semitism.
“Any attack on a place of worship is an act of hate and any attack on a Jewish place of worship is an act of anti-Semitism,” Ms Allan said.
“This is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards,” she said.
“That this happened on Shabbat makes it all the more abhorrent.”
An arson chemist will examine the scene and police are reviewing CCTV and other evidence.
“Police are engaging with people from the synagogue and other representatives from the Jewish community to ensure appropriate supports are in place,” Victoria Police said in a statement.
“There is absolutely no place in our society for anti-Semitic or hate-based behaviour.”
East Melbourne Synagogue rabbi Dovid Gutnik said the community was “lucky” the fire didn’t escalate further.
“There were children playing … this is a family synagogue,” Rabbi Gutnik said.
“That’s the really scary thing because they could have opened the door … it could have been a lot worse because those doors are wooden and there’s carpet, so we were lucky the response was quick.”
Rabbi Gutnik said they were considering enhancing security but emphasised that a place of worship shouldn’t need such extreme measures.
“We actually have some really good security measures, which actually were tested and held up last night,” he said.
“If there’s anything more than we can do it’s more of an emotional thing than a practical thing.”
Separate Melbourne protest
In a separate incident, about 70 protesters gathered on Swanston Street about 5.30pm to demonstrate against police presence at public rallies.
Police said a smaller group then split off just after 8pm and walked to a restaurant on Hardware Lane and began shouting offensive chants.
The front door of popular Israeli restaurant Miznon was smashed during the chaos.
Police were called to the scene and directed the group to leave.
A 28-year-old from Footscray was arrested for hindering police and released on summons.
Others were identified for possible follow-up.
“Victoria Police is disappointed with the actions of protesters in the Melbourne CBD on Friday night,” police said in a statement.
“Victoria Police continued to support the rights of Victorians to protest peacefully but will not tolerate the kind of anti-social and violent behaviour that was witnessed this evening.”
Miznon confirmed they were still planning to open on Saturday.
Police are also investigating a third incident, in which three cars were torched at a business in Greensborough early Saturday morning.
The vehicles and a wall were covered in spray paint.
Police say they are not aware of any links, but are not ruling them out.
“We are taking all three incredibly seriously,” Commander Dunstan said.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece said he was “angry” and “dismayed” about Friday’s events.
“Everyone deserves the right to enjoy the most basic human acts, like practising your faith or enjoying a meal, without being attacked or vilified,” Mr Reece said.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin called for those responsible to face the “full force of the law”.
“These events are a severe escalation directed towards our community and clear evidence that the antisemitism crisis is not only continuing, but getting worse. We urge all sides of politics and all Australians to condemn these deplorable crimes,” he said.
“Those who would burn houses of prayer with families inside do not seek an end to war.”
Police allege Minzon was targeted by a “splinter group” from a larger protest calling for an independent investigation into “Vic Pol’s indiscriminate use of force”.
The anti-police rally, promoted by the Black People’s Union, Whistleblower, Activists and Communities Alliance and Total Liberation Alliance among other activist groups, demanded an end to heavy-handed policing at protests.
“After repeated, unprovoked assaults by Victoria Police at peaceful protests, we’ve had enough,” the group said.
