The Orthodox Union and the Anti-Defamation League condemn the attack on a northern West Bank mosque earlier today. First the OU:
In response to reports of Israeli extremists vandalizing an Islamic mosque in the Palestinian village of Yasuf, the following statement was issued by Mr. Stephen Savitsky, president, and Rabbi Steven Weil, executive vice president, of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America:
We condemn the reported acts of vandalism, in which Israelis are alleged to have entered a mosque and set fire to its carpet, destroyed holy objects and wrote hateful graffiti messages on the walls. There is no justification for such actions.
Jewish synagogues and holy sites, in Israel and across the globe, have been similarly vandalized and desecrated over the course of history and, thus, Jews should know very well that such actions are beyond the pale.
We support the efforts of the Israeli authorities to investigate this matter and bring those responsible to justice.
And the ADL:
Jerusalem, December 11, 2009 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today condemned the vandalization of a West Bank mosque, allegedly by Jewish extremists. The perpetrators set fire to holy books, furniture and rugs, and spray painted hateful graffiti in Hebrew on the walls of a mosque in the Palestinian village of Yasuf.ADL’s Israel Office issued the following statement:
We are horrified and outraged by the acts of vandalism early this morning at a mosque in the West Bank that are believed to have been perpetrated by Jewish extremists. As Jews, we know all too well what it is like to have our houses of worship targeted by violence and hate.
That Jewish extremists may have used such despicable methods to express political opposition is beyond the pale. We join with Israel’s political, military and religious leadership in condemning this disgraceful assault.
