Stamford Hill families targeted in antisemitic holiday attack in French Alps
Cars of Jewish holidaymakers in Châtel daubed with ‘Free Palestine’ graffiti as French police open investigation
Jewish families from Stamford Hill awoke to find their cars vandalised with antisemitic graffiti while on holiday in the French Alpine resort of Châtel.
The words “Free Palestine” were spray-painted overnight on multiple vehicles belonging to the group, sparking alarm among both residents and tourists in the Haute-Savoie town.
Local authorities confirmed that an investigation has been opened. Officers have begun gathering evidence and reviewing nearby CCTV footage in an effort to identify those responsible.
Hen Mazzig, an Israeli writer who shared images of the vandalism on social media, condemned the attack: “Targeting random Jews in the diaspora has nothing to do with helping Palestinians. It only hurts Jews.”
The graffiti comes amid what Israel’s ambassador to France, Joshua Zarka, has described as “an enormous wave of antisemitism not seen since the rise of Nazism”. Recent incidents include vandalism of synagogues, antisemitic demonstrations in Paris, and an attack earlier this month on El Al’s offices in the capital.
Zarka warned that the surge has left many French Jews fearful, with some concealing outward signs of their identity in public and others preparing to emigrate.
The Stamford Hill families targeted in Châtel have not commented publicly, while police investigations continue.
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