An arson and vandalism attack at a Jerusalem synagogue early Sunday drew condemnation from across the political field, with the Shin Bet security service said to be treating it as a terror incident.

Senior ultra-Orthodox political figures blamed the incident on anti-Haredi “incitement” relating to the fight over the conscription of yeshiva students.

The synagogue is frequented by former Sephardic chief rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, who is also the spiritual leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party.

Firefighters were called to the Or Habib synagogue in the Sanhedria neighborhood, where a fire erupted. In a possibly related event, minutes before police were alerted to the fire, they received a report that a cross was found daubed on the door of a nearby apartment.

The synagogue suffered minor damage due to the fire, and holy books were burned, including some authored by Yosef and his late father, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. A chair specifically designated for Yosef was also badly burnt in the incident.

There were no injuries.

Security camera video shared on social media showed a figure roving around the darkened synagogue before flames erupt at one end, and the person quickly moves away.

The Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that it was an arson attack.

“After an examination of all the findings at the scene, it was unequivocally determined that this was arson,” the service, which is probing the incident together with the police, said.

Police did not report any arrests related to the incident.

The Shas party is part of the ruling coalition, but it has recently threatened, along with other ultra-Orthodox factions, to

© The Times of Israel