UAE condemns Manchester synagogue attack; UK deploys extra police, PM Starmer vows protection for Jewish communities while emergency services respond to a shocking Yom Kippur tragedy.
The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack targeting a Jewish synagogue in Manchester, United Kingdom, which resulted in multiple deaths and injuries to innocent civilians.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) denounced the incident as a “criminal act” and reaffirmed its firm opposition to all forms of violence and terrorism against innocent people. The Ministry extended its condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as to the UK government and its citizens, wishing a speedy recovery for those injured.
The attack occurred in the Crumpsall area of Manchester on Thursday, coinciding with Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, heightening the gravity of the incident. Reports indicate that a vehicle was driven into members of the public before a man carried out a stabbing attack. At least two people were killed, while three others remain in serious condition.
Police confirmed that the suspected attacker was shot by armed officers and is believed to be dead, although bomb disposal teams were deployed to handle suspicious items found on his person. Worshippers inside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue were evacuated safely as emergency services responded to the scene.
Greater Manchester Police declared a PLATO alert, a national protocol for deploying armed officers during an ongoing attack. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was attending a security meeting in Copenhagen, immediately cut short his trip and returned to the UK to chair a session of the government’s COBRA emergency committee.
“This was a vile terrorist attack that targeted Jews simply because they are Jews,” Starmer said. “Anti-Semitism is a hatred that is rising in the country, and Britain must defeat it. To every Jewish person in this country, I promise that I will do everything in my power to guarantee the security you deserve.”
The Prime Minister also confirmed that additional police resources are being deployed to synagogues across the UK to ensure the safety of Jewish communities. “The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur makes it all the more horrific,” Starmer said, expressing his thoughts for the victims and gratitude to emergency services and first responders.
The UK news media reported that responding officers dealt with both vehicle and stab wounds inflicted on members of the public, with eyewitness accounts describing a car driven towards crowds outside the synagogue. The attack has prompted a nationwide alert and a renewed focus on combating anti-Semitic violence.
