Hundreds of Tunisians reportedly burned down a historic synagogue on the evening of 18th October. The building was reduced to rubble in the midst of widespread unrest following an explosion in a hospital in Gaza that Hamas attributed to Israel. Hordes of demonstrators swarmed the streets shortly after the news of the blast which allegedly killed many people became public. They were seen setting fire to the Jewish synagouge in the centre of Al Hammah.
En Tunisie, la synagogue d'El Hamma a été détruite et incendiée hier soir par des centaines d'émeutiers, sans la moindre intervention policière. De nombreuses vidéos sur TikTok et Facebook. Et pas la moindre mention dans les médias nationaux https://t.co/U601jWVYWq pic.twitter.com/6F8uIZhoe3
— Joseph Hirsch (@josephhirsch5) October 18, 2023
A number of videos went viral on social media revealing individuals, without any police intervention, placing Palestinian flags and breaking down the stone walls of the structure.
Tunisie , la synagogue de Gabes saccagée pic.twitter.com/9PbzY5FeKE
— 🇫🇷Salat Bernard 🐬 / صلاة برنا /ברנר סלה🌅🤝📐 (@bernardsala) October 18, 2023
The footage of the arson was posted by some users along with the hashtag ‘#Palestine.’
Images de la destruction de la synagogue filmées ce matin à El Hamma pic.twitter.com/NmO8Iah3ir
— Joseph Hirsch (@josephhirsch5) October 18, 2023
The attack transpired hours after media stories stated that the Israel Defense Forces had struck the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza. However, officials from the United States and Israel as well as independent intelligence analysts have determined that the incident was caused by a misfired missile by the terrorist organisation Palestinian Islamic Jihad which is based in Gaza.
The instance, which has destroyed a significant piece of its Jewish history, coincides with attacks on other Jewish and Israeli sites across the globe. The massive protests are in response to Israel’s retaliation for Hamas’s deadly and unprecedented assault on Israel on 7th October in which 1,400 people were massacred, the majority of whom were civilians.
The vandalism was condemned by the American Jewish Committee in a statement. It remarked, “We are horrified by the burning and destruction of the Al Hammah synagogue in Tunisia.” The group conveyed that it was “closely monitoring the situation” and was in contact with leaders of the Tunisian Jewish community.
We are horrified by the burning and destruction of the Al Hammah synagogue in Tunisia.
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) October 18, 2023
Our primary concern is the safety and well-being of Tunisia's Jewish community. We are closely monitoring the situation and are in close contact with community leaders. pic.twitter.com/k8AP5De8gt
Large crowds of Tunisians have flocked to the streets in favour of Palestinians since the most recent violence in Israel and Gaza.
