According to initial reports, two vehicles were found engulfed in flames when police arrived.

Fortunately, most of the worshippoers had not yet arrived at the synagogue for the Shabbat service when the explosion occurred. Only five people were in the synagogue, including the rabbi. None was injured.

”We escaped an absolute drama,” said outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.

The anti-terrorist prosecutor has been seized.I

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X: ”Our thoughts are with the congregation at the Grande-Motte synagogue and all the Jews in the country. Everything is being done to find the perpetrator of this terrorist act and to protect places of worship.”

According to a report, a suspect was filmed on CCTV waving a Palestinian flag.  

“We escaped an absolute tragedy. Firstly because, according to the initial video surveillance footage, the individual was extremely determined”, continued the resigning Prime Minister. If there had been worshippers, “there would have been human victims”, he insisted. “French Jews have been targeted, attacked, because of their belief. This indicates to us, it revolts us, when we know that anti-Semitic acts have increased very sharply.”

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

An act described as an  “obvious criminal” by outgoing French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin targeted the Beth Yaacov synagogue in the city of  La Grande-Motte, in southern France, Saturday morning.

At around 8:30 a.m., an explosion sounded in front of the synagogue, prompting alarm and immediate mobilization of the authorities. The explision injured a municipal policeman who came to the scene of the fire, according to the city’s mayor.

Fortunately, the worshippers had not yet arrived at the synagogue for the Shabbat service.

The doors of the synagogue caught fire, testifying to the violence of the attack.

According to initial reports, at least two cars, one containing a gas bottle, were set on fire.

In response to this attack, outgoing Minister of Interior Gérald Darmanin  assured that “all means are being mobilized to find the perpetrator.” He  announced that he would be visiting the scene. The prefect of the department of Hérault, François-Xavier Lauch, has ordered increased security around Jewish sites in the region.

The mayor of La Grande-Motte, Stéphane Rossignol, visited the site to assess the situation and offer his support to the local Jewish community.

Darmanin  asked all prefects in France to “immediately reinforce the static presence of law enforcement officers in front of Jewish places of worship”.

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X: ”Our thoughts are with the congregation at the Grande-Motte synagogue and all the Jews in the country. Everything is being done to find the perpetrator of this terrorist act and to protect places of worship.”

“We escaped an absolute tragedy. Firstly because, according to the initial video surveillance footage, the individual was extremely determined,” said  resigning Prime Minister Gabriel Attal who visited the synagogue and met Jewish community leaders together with Darmanin.

” If there had been worshippers, there would have been human victims”, he insisted. “French Jews have been targeted, attacked, because of their belief. This indicates to us, it revolts us, when we know that anti-Semitic acts have increased very sharply.”

This new attack raises serious concerns about the security of places of worship in France, and serves as a reminder of the need for heightened vigilance in the face of rising anti-Semitic acts. 

Antisemitic acts have tripled in France during the last six months with almost 900 acts registered;

My comment:

These terrorist attacks are the result of repeated antisemitic and anti-Zionist statements and positions of extreme-leftist politicians since the massacres committed by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7.

How is it possible that the nex government in France would, include members of the ‘La France insoumise’ (France Unbowed) party which has refuse to characterize the October 7 massacre as terrorism and is clearly antisemirtic. Is it still possible for Jews to live in France ?