West Bank Palestinian village vandalized in possible hate crime
It was one of a number of instances of graffiti in a hate crime attack allegedly carried out by extremist right-wing Jewish Israelis in the predawn hours of Sunday.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFVandalism in the West Bank
“There is no room in this land for enemies,” vandals scrawled in Hebrew on a wall in the West Bank Palestinian village of Qira, not far from Nablus.It was one of a number of instances of graffiti in a hate crime attack allegedly carried out by extremist right-wing Jewish Israelis in the predawn hours of Sunday.The Left-wing Israeli groups Yesh Din and B’Tselem reported that Palestinians found the graffiti when they woke up in the morning.Some 13 cars were also vandalized: tires were punctured, and Stars of David were painted on the vehicles.On the wall of one stone structure vandals scrawled the words, “When Jews are harmed it’s our obligation not to forget.”Police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said that a report had been received about the vandalism. “Police [and the] IDF are gathering evidence from the scene, and an investigation into the incident is taking place,” police said.Last month Yesh Din reported that at 5 a.m. on September 8, “a group of 15 unknown assailants entered the Palestinian village of Asira al-Qibliya southwest of Nablus. The assailants hurled stones at private homes and cars belonging to residents of the village.”Yesh Din said that no injuries occurred as a result of the attack, but that “the assailants caused damage to three houses, as well as another three cars whose windshields were shattered and tires punctured.”