Germany’s Jews urge protection amid Israel-Palestinian clashes

Germany’s Jewish community calls for protection to be ramped up after Israeli flags were burnt in front of synagogues amid escalating Israeli-Palestinian violence.

Police arrested 16 people in two separate incidents at synagogues in the cities of Bonn and Muenster, where Israeli flags were set on fire yesterday.

Josef Schuster, president of Germany’s Central Council of Jews, blames Hamas for the escalating conflict in Israel and says tensions are spilling over.

Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, attends a press conference following his election in Frankfurt am Main, central Germany, on November 30, 2014. (AFP/Daniel Roland)

“Israel and Jews as a whole are subjected to hatred and incitement, particularly on social media. The threat to the Jewish community is growing,” he says.

Pointing to the flag-burning incidents, he says “the protection of Jewish institutions must be raised. We expect from the people in Germany solidarity with Israel and the Jewish community.”