In a statement, the Israeli Foreign Ministry called on Russian authorities to provide security for Israelis and Jews in their territories. This is related to reports of anti-Semitic riots in Dagestan, in the southern part of Russia. The Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) said the airport in Dagestan’s capital, Makhachkala, was closed after a group attacked the runway.
Israel’s ambassador in Moscow is cooperating with Russian authorities, according to a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry. “The State of Israel takes seriously any attempt to harm Israeli citizens and Jews anywhere,” the statement said.
“Israel expects Russian law enforcement agencies to protect all Israeli citizens and Jews, whoever they may be, and to take decisive action against rioters and unrestrained incitement against Jews and Israelis,” it stressed.
There have been reports that the runway at Makhachkala Airport has been seized
The statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry follows reports from Sunday evening about the situation at the airport in Makhachkala, the capital of southern Russia’s Dagestan. Dagestan is an autonomous, predominantly Muslim republic that is part of the Russian Federation.
As RIA Novosti writes, after the Red Wings plane arrived from Tel Aviv, “a crowd ran down the runway.” The Central Aviation Agency (Rosaviatsia) has announced that Makhachkala Airport is temporarily closed for arrivals and departures. Medusa Portal reported that several dozen protesters entered the terminal building and tried to break the fence around the airport. According to reports and recordings posted on the Internet, before entering the terminal, some rioters searched for Israeli citizens and tried to check the passports of people leaving the airport, and held up posters with anti-Semitic slogans.
According to Rosawiakja, the situation has already been brought under control. The Ministry of Home Affairs said that the presence of surveillance cameras at the airport would enable identification of all those who took part in the riots.
Reports of a wave of anti-Semitic incidents
According to the independent Russian website Meduza, there has been a “wave of anti-Semitic incidents” in the North Caucasus in recent days. On Saturday, residents protested in front of a hotel in Khasavyurt, Dagestan, over reports that Israeli refugees were staying there.
Dagestan’s governor, Sergey Melikov, said the whole situation was caused by “misinformation from the outside” “spread by Russia’s enemies” and that those involved were activists who “allowed themselves to be manipulated”. However, this incident Mr [sprawcach]”He called on Daghestanis to overcome all attempts to divide the community.” “Today our prayers are with the Palestinian people,” Melikov added.
The Coordination Center for Muslims in the North Caucasus condemned the anti-Semitic activities. It expressed its support for Palestine, but insisted that “Muslims from the North Caucasus cannot be on the side of hatred and intolerance towards other nations and religions”. “Anti-Semitism has no place in this region,” added.
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