People shouted “Allahu Akbar”
In Nalchik, tires were set on fire near a Jewish cultural center under construction on Sunday, the Ria news agency reported. According to security authorities of the Kabardino-Balkaria Republic, the building was filled with extremist slogans. According to the photos, it said “Death to the Jews”. In the republic of Karachayevo-Cherkessia, protesters called for the deportation of the local Jewish population.
According to the website Flightradar, a flight from Russian airline Red Wings from Tel Aviv landed in Mahachchkala at 7 pm local time. According to independent Russian media outlet Sota, it was a transit flight scheduled to arrive in Moscow at 9pm.
It was initially unclear whether the plane was still on the runway that night and what was happening to the passengers. Before entering the airport, some of the men tried to check the passports of passengers who were looking for Israeli citizens. The videos showed one of them holding a sign that said: “Child killers have no place in Dagestan.” Others shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great).
“Anti-Semitism has no place in the multi-ethnic North Caucasus”
The head of the Republic of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, appealed to the population not to be incited by extremists who seek to destabilize the situation. “Because of the fakes spread by our enemies, some young people were about to violate the laws,” he wrote on Telegram. The region’s Islamic clergy also made it clear: “Anti-Semitism has no place in the multi-ethnic North Caucasus.”
President Vladimir Putin met with the heads of religions represented in Russia last week because of the violence in the Middle East. He called for peaceful coexistence among people and religions in the great country.
Following the incident, Israel called on Russia to protect all Israeli citizens. His country expects Russian authorities to “protect all Israeli citizens and all Jews and take decisive action against rioters and incitement to violence against Jews and Israelis,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
Schallenberg: “The images are deeply frightening”
“Israel takes attempts to harm Israeli citizens and Jews anywhere very seriously” and is monitoring developments in Dagestan, the statement said. The Israeli ambassador to Russia, Alex Ben Zvi, is working with Russian authorities “to ensure the well-being of Jews and Israelis there.”
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) spoke on X (formerly Twitter). In English, he said: “The images from Makhachkala airport in Dagestan are deeply frightening. They remind us of the darkest times. Austria is committed to the fight against anti-Semitism in all its forms, no matter where and when, and rejects any incitement to violence. #NeverAgain is now.