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9 Disgusting Anti-Semitic Attacks Worldwide In Wake Of Gaza Conflict

9 Disgusting Anti-Semitic Attacks Worldwide In Wake Of Gaza Conflict

Associate Editor, Huffington Post Religion

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Riot police officers walk in the street of Sarcelles, during clashes with rioters, following a pro-Palestinian demonstration, in Sarcelles, north of Paris, Sunday, July 20, 2014. French youth defying a ban on a protest against Israelâs Gaza offensive went on a rampage in a Paris suburb, setting fire to cars and garbage cans after a peaceful demonstration. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Riot police officers walk in the street of Sarcelles, during clashes with rioters, following a pro-Palestinian demonstration, in Sarcelles, north of Paris, Sunday, July 20, 2014. French youth defying a ban on a protest against Israelâs Gaza offensive went on a rampage in a Paris suburb, setting fire to cars and garbage cans after a peaceful demonstration. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

The violent conflict in Gaza has provoked passionate reactions from people around the world, due to the horrific scenes of death and destruction and the intractable identity politics that have characterized the dispute for decades.

Online discussions of the latest violence can frequently deteriorate into outright bigotry and sweeping generalizations on both sides. In some cases, this has manifested as blatant attacks of anti-Semitism, particularly in Europe.

Paris has gone so far as to ban pro-Palestinian protests due to fears of fueling racial violence.

Violence should never be answered with violence. Muslim comedian, activist and writer Dean Obeidallah wrote an op-ed today in the Daily Beast, "Stop the Anti-Semitism When Talking Gaza," in which he speaks out against the anti-Semitic rhetoric that has pervaded some of the discussion about Israel:

This type of conduct is despicable. Period. There’s no “but” or “let me explain why I said or did that.” It doesn’t matter how much you are angered or heartbroken by the image of children being killed in Gaza. And being of Palestinian heritage, I’ve been very aware of the suffering of Palestinian civilians well before social media has recently made this information instantaneously accessible. So I say this as someone who is very supportive of Palestinian humanity.

Anti-Semitism is morally wrong. It’s just like racism, Islamaphobia, homophobia, or any other type of hate. It can't be tolerated, defended, or contextualized regardless of the form it manifests.

When entering into discussion, it's crucial to separate the politics of the situation from generalizations about the people. The World Post offers a useful collection of reads, "17 Things To Read If You're Trying To See All Sides Of The Israel-Gaza Conflict."

Here are some of the more alarming instances of anti-Semitism provoked by the Gaza conflict:

Jewish Children Threatened On Sydney School Bus
Getty
A group of children ages 5 to 12 were taunted by teenagers who boarded their private school bus on Aug. 6 in Sydney. Five teens have been arrested for the incident, during which they allegedly shouted, "Heil Hitler," "Kill the Jews" and "Free Palestine." Read more from Al Jazeera here
Anti-Jewish Slurs In Frankfurt
Steve Mann via Getty Images
On July 31, a critic of anti-Semitism living in Frankfurt, Germany, was called an anti-Jewish slur after having a beer bottle thrown through her window. Read more from The New York Times
Anti-Jewish Graffiti In Rome
John Harper via Getty Images
This week in Rome, Jewish shop windows were marred with swastikas and graffiti that read "Torch the synagogues" and "Jews your end is near." Read more from The New York Times.
Moroccan Imam Preaches Hatred Toward Jews
On Aug. 5, Italian authorities ordered the expulsion of Raoudi Aldelbar, a Moroccan imam who was seen on video calling for Jews to be killed "one by one." Read more from Religion News Service here.
Firebombs Thrown At Jewish Community Center
ERIC CABANIS via Getty Images
A Jewish community center in Toulouse, France, was the site of an anti-Semitic attack on July 26, when a man threw three firebombs at the building after a pro-Palestinian demonstration. Read more from the IB Times.
Jewish Businesses Vandalized And Looted
Associated Press
On July 20, Jewish businesses in the "Little Jerusalem" district of Paris were attacked by rioters. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls denounced the violence, saying, "What happened in Sarcelles is intolerable. An attack on a synagogue and on a kosher shop is simply anti-Semitism. Nothing in France can justify this violence." Read more from The Huffington Post UK here.
Rabbi Threatened In Frankfurt
Associated Press
Last week a rabbi in Frankfurt, Germany, received an anonymous call in which the caller threatened to kill 30 Jews if his family in Gaza was hurt. Read more from The New York Times.
Israeli Soccer Team Attacked In Austria
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Maccabi Haifa team was physically confronted during a training match in Austria against the French team Lille on July 23. Protestors rushed the pitch and tried to attack members of the squad. Read more from Ynet News here.

Disabled Jewish Woman Assaulted
A disabled Jewish woman was assaulted in the southeast region of France on July 23. Approximately ten young people threw stones at her and chanted anti-Semitic slogans.

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