No injuries were reported and no arrests had been made as of Friday morning, police said, adding that the fire had been extinguished.

Police said the blaze began at about 3:40 a.m. local time.“Around 3:40 a.m., a fire was started at the synagogue,” Rotterdam police said in a post on X, noting that the flames burned briefly before being brought under control.

Authorities have appealed for witnesses or anyone with relevant information to come forward as investigators work to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The fire comes days after another synagogue about 200 kilometres away in Belgium was struck by an explosion earlier this week, which authorities described as an antisemitic attack.

That incident caused property damage but no injuries.Separately, in the U.S. state of Michigan, a Lebanon-born American citizen drove a truck into a synagogue and its preschool before being shot dead, according to authorities.

Authorities and community groups have warned of rising risks to Jewish institutions worldwide following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent response.

The Rotterdam investigation is ongoing as police seek to establish the motive and identify those responsible.

If approved by lawmakers, the legislation is expected to face a national referendum, where nationalist groups have signalled opposition, arguing that deeper integration with the EU could undermine Swiss sovereignty.

The Federal Council said the proposed framework was designed to safeguard Switzerland’s economic interests and ensure continuity in its relationship with the EU.”

“In view of the tense geopolitical situation, stable and reliable relations with neighbouring European countries are of strategic importance,” the council said in a statement.

The government added that strengthening institutional cooperation with the bloc would provide greater certainty for Switzerland’s export-driven economy.

The legislative package builds on an agreement initially reached between Switzerland and the European Union in December 2024.

According to the Federal Council, the framework would help create predictable conditions for trade and economic cooperation while supporting long-term prosperity in the Alpine country.

Under Switzerland’s system of direct democracy, major legislative changes can be challenged through a nationwide referendum.

Political observers say the proposed measures are likely to face strong scrutiny from nationalist groups that oppose closer institutional ties with the European Union, setting the stage for a potentially contentious public vote.