Macron Calls Explosion Near Synagogue in Southern France a 'Terrorist Act'

The explosion of two vehicles near a synagogue in the town of Mott, southern France, resulted in the injury of a police officer. The police announced on Saturday, September 3, that the cause of the explosion was likely a hidden gas canister in one of the vehicles. According to reports, two vehicles were set ablaze in front of the 'Beth Yaakov' synagogue, and two doors of the synagogue were also set on fire, although it is unclear whether this occurred before or after the explosion. Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, described the attack on Saturday as 'a terrorist act' and emphasized that France would fight it unitedly. He stated on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter): 'The fight against anti-Semitism is a permanent battle and the struggle of a united nation.' He further clarified that all necessary actions would be taken to find those responsible for the attack. Gabriel Attal, the Prime Minister of France, also announced that they are still searching for the perpetrator of this attack. He wrote on X that 'once again, our Jewish compatriots have been targeted.' Gérald Darmanin, the Minister of the Interior of France, ordered an immediate increase in the presence of security forces around Jewish places of worship. He described this attack on X as 'an attempt at arson' and expressed his support for the Jewish community. Following the explosion outside a synagogue in the coastal town near Montpellier, the French anti-terrorism prosecutor's office announced that it had taken responsibility for the investigation and would examine the matter as attempted murder and destruction with dangerous means, as well as a 'terrorist' connection. At the time of the incident, five people, including a rabbi, were inside the synagogue, and according to the anti-terrorism prosecutor's office, none of them were harmed. Mr. Darmanin further stated that all tools are being utilized to find the perpetrators of the crime. Stéphane Rossiniol, the mayor of La Grande Motte, stated that surveillance camera footage shows an individual setting the vehicles on fire. A source close to the investigation team told AFP that the potential suspect seen in the footage was holding a Palestinian flag. Another source indicated that this man had two empty bottles and had tied the Palestinian flag around his waist before fleeing the scene on foot. This source also mentioned that one of the images suggests that the suspect may have been armed and carried something resembling a 9mm pistol. The Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) described this explosion as 'an attempt to kill Jews.' Yonatan Arfi, the president of this council, told AFP that the use of a gas canister 'in a vehicle at a time when worshippers are expected to arrive at the synagogue is clearly a criminal act.' The town of Mott is located near Montpellier and has about 8,500 permanent residents, but its population multiplies during the summer season due to the influx of tourists. This explosion occurs amid heightened alert in France and other European countries due to anti-Semitism stemming from the Gaza war. According to the French government, more than 880 anti-Jewish attacks have been recorded in the first half of this year; this figure is approximately three times the similar cases in 2023.