Mosque vandalized in Bedouin village near Haifa
Graffiti spray-painted on the building's walls; village resident: Attack is result of anti-Arab incitement in Israel.
By Jack Khoury Tags: Israel Bedouin West Bank Israel news HaifaA mosque in the Bedouin village of Ibtin, east of Haifa, was vandalized overnight Tuesday with graffiti.
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The vandalized wall of the the Ibtin mosque. |
| Photo by: Al-Arab website |
The graffiti was discovered by village residents at 4:30 AM.
The 3 slogans spray-painted on the building's walls read: "There will be a war over Judea and Samaria," "price tag" and "this structure is destined for demolition."
"This is a serious crime that cannot be ignored," Mohammed Omaria, a village resident who works at the mosque, told Haaretz. Omria also said the crime was the result of the recent wave of anti-Arab incitement in Israel.
A village resident who lives near the mosque said he saw three yarmulke-wearing youths in the mosque's vicinity at around 2 AM Wednesday, and that when he asked them what they were doing there, they answered that they were searching for their dog.
Dozens of village residents and Muslims from nearby villages flocked to the mosque to inspect the damage.
The village's leaders said they plan to involve Israeli Arab MKs in the affair and hold a conference at the mosque.
The mosque has come under attack in the past when arsonists set fire to it in 1988.
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see #5 ... so far, with a few exceptions, they've kept their mouths shut, and decent israelis have condemned it instead. kudos to the talkback crowd for once!
It appears that the bedouins' contribution at the time of the foundation of the State of Israel has been forgotten and more important their continuous contribution is not appreciated. They are our neighbours and we have lived side by side enjoying good-neighbourly relations and mutual respect.. What do you expect, when this loyalty is being trampled by ignorants and religious hotheads?
No amount of graffiti will make me dislike Jewish people. There are some bad apples but the vast majority are very decent people. We will find a way together, long live peace.
Again the same kind of religioustrouble makers who think that the law is with them. Should be arresstd before everthing goes out of control.
Dear fellow Israeli, please know that this is not the sentiment of your fellow citizens. We deplore this behaviour. Your contributions to our society is welcome. We hope this vandal is caught and punished according to the law.
Is this supposed to make me more supportive of the settlements?
No other country in the world is more tolerant toward other religions as Israel . Bu the way Mosques are safer in Israel then in any Muslim country . Just read about Mosques being blown up , not graffiti sprayed , with hundreds of dead and injured all over Arab/Muslim world .
Unless you are referring to Iraq or Pakistan, im not aware of any other country where mosques are blowing up. Can you kindly provide some examples? difficulty: a country that does not have US forces stations/ fighting in it.
Having read some of your posts, I can't imagine your not being outraged if the desecrating of a Jewish cemetery (which doesn't affect anyone alive) were described as "a very limited case".
Jews don't deface property, as a matter of course. If any Jew did this, I am ashamed. Israel needs all the positive pr it can get. This doesn't help. Apologies.
they should be ashamed and they should be in prison!! They do not represent Jews anywhere.
were vociferous in their condemnation of this act of anti-Arab sentiment. They have urged the government of Israel to require a course on diversity and respect for the other to be carried out in all of the countries yeshivot. Yeh, right!
If this was a synagogue you have the army,the police and the rabbis all there, muttering about the 5th colume in Israel and to send all the Arab-Israelis to Jorden etc etc,its such a shame to see this happen in this wonderful country, by the way i am not a muslim.
This is aweful. We need to pass a UN resolution on this matter immediately! This Mosque was brutally vandalized by extremist Jewish youth with blue spraypaint. Out of all colors, blue was chosen because the Nazi, war-mongering children know that the color blue burns the eyes of Arabs. Not only one right-wing exremist phrase was written on the brick wall of the mosque, but three things! This is aweful. Israel is going downhill and becoming more and more undemocratic than ever. Jews around the world should be ashamed!
Rosalin, I fear that your irony will be lost on the anti-Semites and Israel haters who post here.
In the KNESSET of all places, they yell epithets at Arabs and call them terrorists. Why wouldn't the population follow suit? This country feels like a war is going on right now and I think we'll get it soon with the lack of restraint everyone seems to have.
It took Greece about 3 days to arrest and charge the vandals who burnt a synagogue in Crete. The vandals who burn mosques and desecrate Muslim holy sites in Israel and the West Bank rarely, if ever, seem to be caught. Are the Israeli police and IDF really trying, or do too many of them sympathise with the vandals?
Just extremists and their sick actions. I believe Jewish Israelis are tired of them.
Then the papers and media channels would be full of outraged politicians demanding that the offenders be found and held responsible. But, alas, this is "only" a mosque besmeared, and a quick Google search shows that only Haaretz and Ynet care about this at all. That's telling, isn't it? Btw, the Ynet story adds some interesting details, for instance that the cemetery has been desecrated several times, too.
never heard any vandalism in muslim countries on synagogues...
Ancient Synagogues in the West Bank have been vandalized, and ones in Lebanon and Syria and Iraq, Pakistan, have been very damaged by vandalists. This does not give the right to damage Islamic institutions, but you should know that this type of stuff occurs and has occured
Take responsibility instead of the cries of "they do it too". Juvenile and pathetic.
Zilya, there are very, very few Jews left in Muslim countries, and anyway, the building of synagogues in those countries has always been severely restricted. Maybe that's why you haven't heard of such vandalism in Muslim countries.
This is not similar to Anti Semetic? this is not Racism? As always you dont post my comment, no freedom of speech
this is not freedom of speech - it is racism - and racism i similar to anti semitism. Freedom of speech - you must write on your own wall!
Of course it's not allowed! It's vandalizm and yes of course anti-Islamic! Not racism because Islam is not a race, silly! I hope the people who did this will get into big trouble and pay for the cleanup. Bedouin Israeli Arabs are part of our society and our friends and should be protected
This is not similar to Anti Semetic? this is not Racism? As always you dont post my comment, no freedom of speech
as an Israeli Jew, I condemn this vandalism. I am sure that all my friends and acquaintances would join me. I call for the police to find the perpetrators and ensure that they are disciplined.
What can one say. If this type of thing happened to a Synagogue in Germany or France or the U.S. the result would be big bold headlines blaring out anti-Semitism is on the rise. Where the Jew state holds sway Mosque vandalization is an acceptable practice. In one word disgusting.
What can one say. If this type of thing happened to a Synagogue in Germany or France or the U.S. the result would be big bold headlines blaring out anti-Semitism is on the rise. Where the Jew state holds sway Mosque vandalization is an acceptable practice. In one word disgusting.
who immediately begin to try switch the subject to arab crimes or claim the villagers did it themselves...
Land of the peaceful and law-abiding.
There is no excuse for this kind of stupidity. The local Jewish community should be first to come immediately to clean off the graffiti and restore the wall. Extremist Jews are as bad as extremist Muslims.
Find all such people and jail them.