French police officer injured in synagogue blast

Israeli army destroys historic Grand Mosque, burns Holy Qurans in Khan Younis Gaza, 

French authorities are treating a blast outside a synagogue that injured a police officer as a possible terror attack, the latest in a series of incidents in recent months that have unsettled France’s large Jewish community.

A lone suspect set multiple cars on fire in a parking lot across the street from Synagogue Beth Yaacov before one exploded in La Grande-Motte, a southern seaside town not far from Montpellier. Observant Jews typically go to synagogue on Saturday morning to celebrate the Sabbath.

The suspect is still at large. One police officer was hurt and no one was killed.

“Our thoughts are with the congregation at the Grande-Motte synagogue and all the Jews of our country. Everything is being done to find the perpetrator of this terrorist act and tpo protect places of worship,” French President Emmanuel Macron said. “The fight against antisemitism is a constant battle, that of a united nation.”

French anti-terrorism prosecutors confirmed in an email to CNN that they had taken charge of the investigation. It said an initial investigation indicated that the perpetrator was carrying a Palestinian flag and a gun.

La Motte’s mayor, Stephan Rossignol, said in an interview with French radio Franceinfo that the incident began with what appeared to be a diversionary tactic: a suspect setting cars on fire in a parking lot under an office building across the street from the synagogue.

When emergency services arrived, there was a powerful explosion that injured one police officer, knocking the individual to the ground, Rossignol said.

A statement from the anti-terrorism prosecutor said that the explosion was caused by a bottle of gasoline inside one of the vehicles set alight.

The statement added that five people were inside the synagogue at the time, including the synagogue’s rabbi. Rossignol said the perpetrator’s goal was “clearly” to get inside the building, but the individual was unable to do so. The suspect then unsuccessfully tried to set fire to the outside of the synagogue.

“Once again, our fellow Jewish citizens have been targeted,” Outgoing French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on X. “In the face of antisemitism, in the face of violence, we will never be intimidated.”

In a somewhat related development the Israeli army destroyed the historic Grand Mosque in Khan Younes Gasa