© Ruptly
The malicious act occurred in the Ukrainian town of Uman on Tuesday night, the sexton of the synagogue, Rabbi Yisrael Elhadad, told the Ynet news website. There were five or six worshippers at the site when two attackers arrived and sprayed them with tear gas, he said. Two people were taken to hospital for treatment after the attack.
Pictures from the scene show red paint that looks like blood smeared across the floor and walls of the synagogue. Several pieces of pig, including a head with a swastika carved in it, were left behind by the assailants. Elhadad described them as neo-Nazis and said they were shouting anti-Semitic slogans during the attack.
No arrests were immediately made after the incident, which local police are investigating as an act of hooliganism, Ukrainian TV news channel 112 reported.
Israeli officials and politicians have expressed outrage over the anti-Semitic attack and demanded a thorough investigation.
Comment: Considering the fact Ukraine has nurtured and supported the rise of neo-nazi groups, is this incident surprising?
- Ukraine transition government: Neo-Nazis in control
- Declassified CIA docs: U.S. has been supporting Ukrainian neo-Nazis for over 60 years
- The role neo-Nazi extremists play in Ukraine
Furthermore, the outrage expressed by Israel over damage the good rabbi's resting place is ironic, considering it has no problem with destroying Muslim graveyards in its own backyard.