Visiting site of synagogue blast, French PM says he is ‘outraged, revolted’ by attack

Visiting the site of an explosion outside a synagogue in southern France, French interim Prime Minister Gabriel Attal says “we narrowly avoided an absolute tragedy.”

“Once more, French Jews have been targeted and attacked as a result of their beliefs,” Attal says. “If the synagogue had been filled with worshippers… there probably would have been human victims.”

Attal says France’s national anti-terror prosecutors have been tasked with probing the incident.

“We are outraged, revolted and scandalized by this, given that antisemitic acts have increased dramatically, even more so since October 7,” he says.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who also visited the synagogue with Attal, calls the incident “an obviously criminal act” and says that “all means are being deployed to find the perpetrator.”