Pro-Palestinian mob storms Dagestan airport in search of Jewish passengers from Israel

A flight from Tel Aviv to Russia’s Dagestan Republic was forced to redirect on Sunday after an angry pro-Palestinian mob stormed an airport attempting to attack Jewish passengers on board.

Footage on social media showed an angry mob at the airport in the capital of the Muslim-majority region of southern Russia, searching the terminal for Israeli passengers shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is great).

Protesters were also seen stopping vehicles in the area to ask motorists if they were transporting tourists from the Jewish state, and some even searched the engines on a plane to see if passengers were hiding there.

Local people have also besieged a hotel in search of Jewish guests and stormed the airport after reports emerged that a flight from Tel Aviv was arriving in the city.

At least nine police officers were injured as they challenged protesters, of whom many were later said to have been identified.

Footage also showed passengers aboard the plane being warned about the mob in the terminal.

“This is your captain,” one announcement said. “There’s an angry mob outside that doesn’t know where we’ve come from and why [we are here]. It’s possible we’ll also come under attack.”

The riots appear to have been inspired by a number of posts on the social media platform Telegram, where followers were told that a flight from Tel Aviv would be arriving that evening with refugees from Israel.

Some of the signs held by the rioters read, “We are against Jewish refugees”.

On Monday the Dagestani government said it was strengthening security measures across the republic, which is home to about 3 million people.

Sergei Melikov, the head of Dagestan, said the incident was a gross violation of the law, even as Dagestanis “empathise with the suffering of victims of the actions of unrighteous people and politicians, and pray for peace in Palestine”.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Ministry said they were following events in Dagestan and “expect Russian law enforcement to maintain the safety of all Israeli citizens and Jews and to act with determination against rioters and wild incitement against Jews and Israelis. 

“Israel takes a grave view of attempts to harm Israeli citizens and Jews anywhere,” added the joint statement.Russia’s state-run RT outlet reported the incident came only a day after Muslims stormed a hotel in the Dagestani city of Khasavyurt in an attempt to harm “Jewish refugees” rumored to be staying there.

Israeli Ambassador to Russia Alexander Ben Zvi was working to ensure the safety of Israeli tourists in the country.Jewish president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the mob, saying: “Appalling videos from Makhachkala, Russia, where an angry mob broke into the airport searching for Israeli citizens on the flight from Tel Aviv.

“This is not an isolated incident in Makhachkala, but rather part of Russia’s widespread culture of hatred toward other nations, which is propagated by state television, pundits, and authorities.

“Reports on Sunday night’s incident quoted a rioter saying: “We came for the Jews—to kill them with a knife and shoot them.

“The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Ministry said they were following events in Dagestan and “expect Russian law enforcement to maintain the safety of all Israeli citizens and Jews and to act with determination against rioters and wild incitement against Jews and Israelis.

“Israel takes a grave view of attempts to harm Israeli citizens and Jews anywhere,” added the joint statement.Russia’s state-run RT outlet reported the incident came only a day after Muslims stormed a hotel in the Dagestani city of Khasavyurt in an attempt to harm “Jewish refugees” rumored to be staying there.

Israeli Ambassador to Russia Alexander Ben Zvi was working to ensure the safety of Israeli tourists in the country.Jewish president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the mob, saying: “Appalling videos from Makhachkala, Russia, where an angry mob broke into the airport searching for Israeli citizens on the flight from Tel Aviv.

“This is not an isolated incident in Makhachkala, but rather part of Russia’s widespread culture of hatred toward other nations, which is propagated by state television, pundits, and authorities.”