Beit Shemesh Man Arrested for Arson at Jerusalem Synagogue and Clal Building

A 52-year-old man from Beit Shemesh was arrested early Friday morning on suspicion of setting fire to a Jerusalem synagogue and the Clal Building in the city center, Israeli police confirmed.

Shortly before 1 a.m., first responders were dispatched to the Clal Building following reports of a fire. According to initial investigations, the suspect ignited multiple cabinets inside the building, causing heavy smoke to fill the area before he fled the scene.

Just thirty minutes later, emergency services received a second call this time reporting damage and suspected arson at a nearby synagogue. Police arrived swiftly, apprehending the suspect based on eyewitness testimony. A lighter was discovered among his possessions.

The man was taken to the Lev HaBira police station for questioning and is expected to appear in court today for a hearing to extend his detention.

The arrest comes amid rising concerns over recent anti-religious and antisemitic vandalism in Jerusalem. In June, the Israel Fire and Rescue Authority confirmed that a blaze at the Or Habib synagogue in the Sanhedria neighborhood where former Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef prays was deliberately set. Torah scrolls were damaged in that incident but, miraculously, remained intact.

Adding to the concern, crosses were found graffitied on the doors of a building located near the synagogue just minutes before the latest fires were reported, raising suspicions of a targeted hate crime.

Israeli police are now exploring whether these incidents are part of a broader pattern of attacks on religious institutions and symbols. The swift arrest underscores law enforcement’s commitment to protecting places of worship and holding those who target Jewish religious life accountable.

This alarming incident serves as a reminder that the safety of synagogues and Jewish institutions must never be taken for granted not even in the heart of the Jewish homeland.

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