7 released after questioning over Jerusalem synagogue desecration
Police said to suspect Siach Yisrael community was targeted in a robbery that turned into vandalism
Police released seven people Tuesday after they were detained and questioned over the desecration of a synagogue in Jerusalem.
A police spokesman would not comment on why the seven were released or reveal any information on their identities, but said the investigation was continuing.
The Walla news site reported that police suspect the incident at the synagogue in the Kiryat Yovel neighborhood was a robbery attempt that turned into vandalism, as the safe that housed the Torah scrolls was broken into.
The criminals may have believed money was kept in the safe, Hadashot TV news said, noting that silver Judaica was not stolen.
Jerusalem police chief Yoram Halevi ordered extra resources be devoted to the case in order to catch the culprits, the news site said.
Worshipers at Siach Yisrael, a French-speaking community, had arrived for prayers Tuesday morning to find the synagogue damaged, with Torah scrolls and other Jewish artifacts strewn across the floor.
Police said in a statement earlier that a forensic team was immediately sent to the scene and an investigation into the incident opened. They later announced the formation of special task force to investigate the attack.
The desecration was strongly condemned by politicians, with Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion labeling it “a grave event reminiscent of dark periods of the Jewish people,” and saying he was confident police would find the perpetrators.
Dan Illouz, who sits on the Jerusalem municipal council, wrote in a Facebook post that the attack was particularly sad as many members of the Siach Yisrael community had left France to escape anti-Semitic persecution. He said that the city must come together and “fight the hatred of those who try to divide us, with more love and better relations among the different sectors in the city.”
The incident comes just days after vandals burned Jewish prayer books and graffitied the phrase “Hail Satan” in an attack on a Netanya synagogue. A pentagram was also discovered sprayed onto a wall.
Police are investigating Saturday’s incident at the Orthodox place of worship, popular among English-speaking residents of the coastal city.
The Times of Israel Community.