Residents of Arab city hit in Iranian strike bemoan racist celebrations by some Jews

By Diana Bletter

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15 June 2025, 1:03 pm

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Reporter at The Times of Israel

Residents stand near heavily damaged cars in the northern Israeli town of Tamra, following an overnight missile attack from Iran on June 15, 2025, where four people, including a child, were killed. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)

Rescue workers, residents and onlookers gather on the street by the two-story house in Tamra where a ballistic missile struck, killing Manar Khatib and her two daughters, Hala, 20, and Shada, 13, as well as another relative, Manal Khatib.

“The missile didn’t differentiate between sects, religions or people,” says Jabar, who didn’t want his last name used. He says what upsets people in Tamra the most was to see people from Mitzpeh Aviv singing and celebrating that Tamra should “burn.”

“When the missile fell, it brought out the hatred,” he says sadly.

“We want peace, we want coexistence,” says Hisham Diab, a volunteer in the Home Front Command medical volunteer group. “I’ve lived here for 40 years and I never heard one person say he was anti-Israel.”