Jerusalem Synagogue Attack: Black Crosses Spray Painted, Police Have No Leads On Vandals

An Israeli police investigation was underway after several crosses were spray-painted on a synagogue in Jerusalem Sunday night. Authorities have found no motive behind the incident that took place on Yose ben Yoezer Street, Haaretz reported Monday. Black crosses were painted across the walls and windows of the building.

The vandalism attack happened at the Iranian-run Orthodox synagogue in the Katamon neighborhood in southern Jerusalem. Police were notified about the incident but insisted there are no suspects or known motives, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported Monday.

This isn’t the first time a synagogue has been vandalized in Israel. Over the past few months, there have been several instances in cities throughout the country where synagogues have been defaced including Petah Tikva and Safed, where Jewish people were believed to be the vandals.

In August, two Jewish girls were caught in Petah Tikva spraying crosses on a local synagogue. Aged 13 and 15 years old, the girls were caught by police at the site and taken in for questioning. In April, a synagogue in Safed was vandalized with the words “death to Arabs.” That same day a Molotov cocktail — a glass bottle containing a flammable substance and a source of ignition such as a cloth doused in an accelerant and ignited — was thrown at a synagogue in Jaffa. No damage was caused in that case.

In January, a few buildings in Tel Aviv, including a synagogue, were spray-painted with a picture of Hitler’s face and slogans that read, “Hitler was Jewish,” and “Heilike,” which was described as a combination of “Heil” and Facebook’s “Like.”

The last few years have seen church and synagogue properties desecrated in the Jerusalem area, northern Israel and mosques in the West Bank. Synagogues have also been the targets of vandalism in the United States and Europe.