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Last update - 15:30 11/09/2007
Police chief: There are dozens of neo-Nazis active in Israel
By Jonathan Lis, Revital Levy-Stein and Or Kashti, Haaretz Correspondents

Police Commissioner David Cohen said Monday that he believes there are dozens of people currently involved in neo-Nazi activities in Israel.

Cohen added that they apparently operate in small groups or alone, and not in large, organized groups.

Nevertheless, as a result of the investigations conducted over the past year, which exposed one neo-Nazi organization, he believes it will be possible to locate other neo-Nazi activists and bring them to justice.

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"The police will act with the utmost severity and zero tolerance," Cohen said at a ceremony at police headquarters Monday in honor of the upcoming Rosh Hashanah holiday. He also praised the investigators who exposed the neo-Nazis now on trial.

Meanwhile, graffiti with Nazi overtones, such as "Hitler is the Messiah" and "Long live Hitler and Jesus Christ," accompanied by crosses and swastikas, were discovered Monday evening on the walls of the synagogue of the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Eilat, Rabbi Moshe Hadaya.

The synagogue is located in a neighborhood with many religious institutions and a heavily religious population. The inscriptions were discovered when people arrived for a class and evening prayers.

"We were all shocked and stunned," said Rabbi Yair Hadaya, the son of the chief rabbi. "I do not view it as an affront to the rabbi, but as an affront to the country and the Jewish people."

He added that he does not view the incident as any more serious because it took place in a synagogue; such acts are serious wherever they occur. Education, he continued, is the answer to the problem.

The deputy commander of the Eilat police, Eitan Gadasi, said that the incident was under investigation, but for now, it appears to have been an isolated occurrence. "Such incidents happened in the distant past in Eilat," he said. "At this stage, it is too early to say whether there is a neo-Nazi cell in Eilat."

Hadaya noted that during the Selihot period of repentance that precedes Rosh Hashanah, the synagogue is open daily from 4 A.M.

Junior high and high schools will hold special activities relating to the neo-Nazi problem next week, including classroom discussions led by teachers and counselors from the youth movements. In addition, the Educational Television channel will broadcast a film related to the issue.

Education Minister Yuli Tamir sent principals a letter Monday saying that the affair must not be swept under the carpet, and that students must be given a chance to discuss such matters, as a means of prevention.

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  1.   KICK THEM ALL OUT 03:17  |  COMMOSENSE 11/09/07
  2.   Baptism of the Russian "Jews" 03:31  |  Scientist 11/09/07
  3.   Israel is no place for these people 03:45  |  Val 11/09/07
  4.   Why the surprise? 03:50  |  Avi 11/09/07
  5.   It`s quite a racist twist 03:54  |  Ahmed 11/09/07
  6.   Talking to them won`t stop the problem. Expelling them will! 04:10  |  Nannette 11/09/07
  7.   It must be be the occupation 04:51  |  Judith 11/09/07
  8.   Jews: Yeah Neo Nazis in Europe are signs of a sick continent 04:56  |  Yeah Yeah 11/09/07
  9.   Ahmed 04:58  |  Judith 11/09/07
  10.   Good morning Mr. police chief 05:12  |  dovale 11/09/07
  11.   Ah yes Avi 05:12  |  John 11/09/07
  12.   The Great White Hope Astray 05:22  |  4Baer 11/09/07
  13.   Neo-Nazis are from the bitch cold slavic blood 05:41  |  metallist73 11/09/07
  14.   Deport them and deport their parents too 07:01  |  Apter 11/09/07
  15.   Damn It, You Idiots, Kick them Out ! 07:34  |  Tod Zuckerman 11/09/07
  16.   Hang all of them 07:55  |  Alex 11/09/07
  17.   to Ahmed 07:58  |  David G 11/09/07
  18.   not relevant 08:42  |  judy 11/09/07
  19.   What about Arab States inmigration policies ? 09:03  |  enrique 11/09/07
  20.   It is because of the following that such acts are spreading: 09:23  |  S 11/09/07
  21.   Now the enemy within Israel: kick them out , NOW 09:30  |  Aaron 11/09/07
  22.   Avoid witch hunting 10:02  |  Mike 11/09/07
  23.   Police chief 10:07  |  Jack 11/09/07
  24.   Likely some perfectly respectable Jewish kids 10:07  |  Natallie Durson 11/09/07
  25.   Send them back? 10:09  |  Rachel 11/09/07
  26.   Apter 10:13  |  Rachel 11/09/07
  27.   zionist collaboration with Nazis 10:55  |  Hannah David 11/09/07
  28.   Natallie Durson #18 11:09  |  Jack 11/09/07
  29.   Hashem works in mysterious ways 11:18  |  FedUpSfardi 11/09/07
  30.   rachel #20 11:54  |  jack 11/09/07
  31.   fedup sfardi 12:21  |  Jack 11/09/07
  32.   The problem 12:51  |  DK 11/09/07
  33.   Kick them and their kin out 13:24  |  Boris 11/09/07
  34.   Jewish Agency & Immigration. 13:48  |  Jack 11/09/07
  35.   Jewish Agency & Immigration. 13:49  |  Jack 11/09/07
  36.   Natallie Durson on Israel and herself 14:16  |  notblackorwhite 11/09/07
  37.   what, exactly, does it mean to be a neo-nazi in Israel? 14:24  |  Pssd Off American 11/09/07
  38.   Security clearance in PMO 15:04  |  Gadi 11/09/07
  39.   Deport them?? 15:29  |  El_Justiciero 11/09/07
  40.   #22: I respectfully disagree 15:35  |  Citizen 11/09/07
  41.   to no 2. 15:37  |  Danny 11/09/07
  42.   #27, Hannah David. I suspect single intermediate source 16:15  |  zmogus 11/09/07
  43.   #17, David G to Ahmed 16:25  |  zmogus 11/09/07
  44.   Ahmed 17:29  |  Steve 11/09/07
  45.   Right of Return 17:49  |  PAUL 11/09/07
  46.   #29 Fedup---Ouch, ouch, ouch!!! 18:14  |  ballistic 11/09/07
  47.   #31 Say Jack; was there a comment in your 18:17  |  ballistic 11/09/07
  48.   information on Natallie Durson 18:45  |  dovale 11/09/07
  49.   neo-nazis 18:46  |  yoel 11/09/07
  50.   "FedUpSfardi" is an Arab imposter (and a poor one at that) 19:09  |  Jake 11/09/07
  51.   To Hannah David, yawn...Molotov Ribbentrop is more damning 19:23  |  Jake 11/09/07
  52.   ballistic`s ignorance 19:29  |  Jake 11/09/07
  53.   Hannah David, are you on Red Ken`s payroll? 19:32  |  Jake 11/09/07
  54.   Hi Jack 19:36  |  Gil62 11/09/07
  55.   Ahmed, Arab countries gave refuge to real Nazis, not neo-Nazis 19:40  |  Jake 11/09/07
  56.   Natallie is a joke 20:03  |  Judith 11/09/07
  57.   Gil62 re. Jack 20:08  |  notblackorwhite 11/09/07
  58.   Gil62, what`s the problem? 20:27  |  Jake 11/09/07
  59.   aliyah Nazis 21:21  |  tom 11/09/07
  60.   #38 Paul 21:37  |  Judith 11/09/07
  61.   LOL! What Jews Don`t Get Irony? 21:41  |  MaoSayTongue 11/09/07
  62.   Jake on spotting "imposters"! 21:55  |  ballistic 11/09/07
  63.   nazi and violence 22:05  |  Yacov 11/09/07
  64.   law of return 22:12  |  Yacov 11/09/07
  65.   religiousXnot religious 22:20  |  Yacov 11/09/07
  66.   David G. #17 and Jake #55 04:05  |  Ahmed 12/09/07
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