From Fire targets synagogue in southern West Bank; settler activists call it terrorist hate crime
Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter
A fire breaks out amid the ruins of the the ancient Eshtamoa Synagogue in the South Hebron Hills area of the southern West Bank, located in the Palestinian town of as-Samu.
Settler activists describe the attack as a hate crime and allege that the fire was started by terrorists who arrived at the site early in the morning and set fires amid the archaeological site.
A spokesperson for the Israel Police’s Judea District says the IDF reported a fire in the area earlier and that the police are checking the incident.
The IDF does not immediately comment on the causes of the fire.
Eliram Azoulai, head of the Mount Hebron Regional Council, describes the incident as “an act of terrorism for all intents and purposes,” adding that it was an attempt “to erase Jewish identity and symbols from the regions of our fathers.”
He adds that the security forces should deal with the issue “severely” and protect the synagogue.
פלסטינים הציתו את בית הכנסת העתיק בכפר סמוע בדרום הר חברון, וריססו כתובת "חמאס". כוחות הכיבוי שהגיעו למקום השתלטו על השריפה@carmeldangor pic.twitter.com/DFxqgdPFr7
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) September 26, 2024
