Revolutionary supporters of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Friday burned an Israeli flag on the compound of the holiest site for Jews in Iran, the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai in Hamadan. The clerical regime forced its tiny Jewish community to support Tehran’s pro-Hamas policies.
Alireza Nader, an Iran expert in the US, posted a message and video on X, formerly known as Twitter, that shows the torching of the Israeli flag: “Religious extremists in Iran burn the Israeli flag inside of Esther & Mordechai’s tomb in Hamedan. This is the first time such an event has taken place within the grounds of the tomb, a sacred site for Iranian Jews.”
Religious extremists in #Iran burn the Israeli flag inside of Esther & Mordechai’s tomb in Hamedan. This is the first time such an event has taken place within the grounds of the tomb, a sacred site for Iranian Jews. pic.twitter.com/KeGtVslG0k
— Alireza Nader علیرضا نادر (@AlirezaNader) October 20, 2023
Ben Sabti, an Israeli expert on Iranian Jews, wrote on X: “Unbelievable-Extremist Iran regime supporters are burning Israel flag INSIDE holy grave of Jewish prophets Esther & Mordecai in Hamadan city. This is not Islam. These are FANATIC people who cannot accept Israel existence [sic]!”
The Jewish biblical heroes, Esther and Mordechai, saved their people from a massacre in the Purim story.
The Tehran-born Sabti, from the Israeli National Security and Strategy Institute, told The Jerusalem Post that Tehran’s Jewish community posted an anti-Israel message on their Telegram channel.
He wrote on X on Wednesday: “ Once again and in order to survive under #Iranian regime, Jewish community inside #Iran condemns "the acts of war by #Israel against #Gaza". Just like they were forced to cancel passover festival because of Quds-day, #Jews in Iran have to support HamasTerrorists.”
“Every conscience of every free human is hurt now because of this news about this hospital that [sic] people were killed by an enemy who has no conscience and is very violent, “ wrote the Tehran Jewish community in connection to Israel as the “enemy.”
Once again and in order to survive under #Iranian regime, #Jewish community inside #Iran condemns "the acts of war by #Israel against #Gaza". Just like they were forced to cancel passover festival because of Quds-day, #Jews in Iran have to support #HamasTerrorists pic.twitter.com/7rz6iqsDoU
— BenSabti (@BeniSabti) October 18, 2023
Tehran's subjugated Jewish community
Sabti said the Tehran Jewish community serves as a kind of umbrella organization for the country’s estimated 9,000 Jews. The leaders of the Jewish community blamed Israel for the Tuesday Israel for the Tuesday bombing of a hospital in Gaza, which resulted in casualties. But US intelligence and a spokesman for the IDF, R-Adm. Daniel Hagari, said the Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization was responsible for the explosion at the medical center.
“An analysis of IDF operational systems indicates that a barrage of rockets was fired by PIJ terrorists in Gaza, passing in close proximity to the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza at the time it was hit,” said the IDF.
Sabti, who speaks fluent Persian, told Iran International that “There is another war in Israel and they are afraid Muslims will come and attack them. They are afraid. This war is much bigger and dangerous. And they have to be more loyal than the revolutionaries in Iran.”
The Tehran Jewish community also wrote on Telegram: "The conscience of every freedom-loving individual considers respect for fellow human beings and protecting innocent lives at hospitals one of the pillars of humanity. But savages and criminals in history have no trace of humanity and conscience in their existence and spill the blood of innocent people."
Sabti also noted that a video of Iranian Rabbi Yosef Lalezar, who condemned Iran, is circulating on X. He is the rabbi for the Iranian city of Shiraz. Sabti said that while Lalezar’s tirade against Israel mirrored the language of the Tehran Jewish community, the rabbi used the phrase “Zionist regime” that is “responsible for the crime at the hospital.” The Tehran Jewish community did not use the phrase "Zionist regime" or mention Israel in its Telegram message.
The Islamic Republic News Agency reported on Wednesday that Lalezar said the crimes committed by the Israeli regime should not be linked to the Jews and their religion.
According to IRNA, “He made the remarks in a meeting with Sakineh Sadat Pad, a senior Iranian government official who serves as an aide to President Ebrahim Raisi on issues of social rights and freedoms.”
Sabti said a picture of former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaee is circulating on social media along with the message that if Israel makes any mistakes and attacks Iran or its allies, the 10,000 Jews in Iran will pay a very heavy price.
The Iran expert said it is fake news and was distributed two years ago, but many Iranian Jews believe the Rezaee story. Sabti said that “There is an expectation that they condemn Israel. They see the threat and it is coming; for them it is real. In 2008 and 2009, when there was another war between Hamas and Israel, a Jewish Iranian told me that some regime supporters went to Jewish shops and said they will take the businesses to avenge what was happening in Gaza.”