Anti-Israel Protesters Assail Istanbul’s Largest Synagogue, place sign 'To be Demolished'

Vandals, Anti-Israel Protesters Assail Istanbul’s Largest Synagogue place sign 'To be Demolished' (Algemeiner).By D. Bender.

[Video above.] Unknown vandals posted a note reading “To be Demolished” on the doors of Istanbul’s main Neve Shalom Synagogue on Friday, according to a local newspaper.

A young male in his teens, wearing a Turkish flag on his back, posted the note, a local source, who requested anonymity due to the unsafe atmosphere, told The Algemeiner on Monday.

Neve Shalom, Istanbul’s largest synagogue, was empty and closed at the time of the incident, which apparently took place after Friday evening Sabbath services.

After checking out the vicinity for possible bombs, security guards removed the note.
“Today the Jewish community tweeted a thank-you note to the Turkish police saying: ‘we Turkish Jews who become the target of unacceptable abuse after every incident in the Middle East, we thank our police for its assistance to us and to our synagogues,’” the source said.

Shortly after the incident, Omer Celik, the Minister of Tourism and Culture, tweeted, “Any kind of provocation against our Jewish citizens and synagogues shall not be allowed or tolerated.”

As well, MHP (nationalist party) vice president Tugrul Turkes also tweeted, “we invite our nation to be vigilant against provocation against our Jewish citizens,” the source said.

On Sunday, a local nationalistic youth group, Alperen Ocakları, marched on Neve Shalom to protest recent Israeli police clashes with Arab rioters on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

“About 100 members of the group chanted anti-israel slogans and ‘takbir’ (a proclamation of the greatness of God),” according to the source, until police stopped them before they entered the street where the synagogue is located.

Holding banners, the demonstrators declared “Israel you will pay for what you do. Once again we are warning the Zionist and bloodsucker Israel that we, the Alperens, we see all Muslim blood as our own, every soul as our own.

“And we proclaim to the world that we will not permit any fait accompli,” under the mistaken presumption that Israel planned to divide the Al Aqsa mosque into two and permit Jewish worshipers, as well.

“Al Aqsa Mosque must be protected by Turkish soldiers,” the protesters said, reading from a press statement.

The banner in a photo (above) provided to The Algemeiner says “the nonbelievers that surrounded al-Aqsa must know that the grandsons of Sultan Abdulhamit Han are still alive and we can surround all of your temples, suddenly in one night.”

Ahmet Yilmaz published a message on IHH social media, saying get rid of the synagogues and the Yahudis (Jews) in Istanbul, there were negative comments such as “they are killing children and selling women all you care is about the golden dome.” and they removed it from Facebook. 

Source picture

Neve Shalom, built in the 1930′s, has experienced several attacks in recent history.