A large Israeli flag was torn this morning from an outpost memorial for soldiers killed on October 7, just weeks after it was dedicated on Independence Day in the presence of the regional council head. The vandalism follows a series of attacks on sovereignty symbols this week: a memorial corner for Golani soldier Yehuda Peretz was defaced, and Bedouin tribe graffiti was sprayed on the community's entrance sign, according to local reports.
This morning's flag tearing is the latest in a wave of vandalism targeting Israeli sovereignty symbols in the Rethmim area, a cluster of communities in the Negev. The flag was installed at a hilltop memorial for fallen soldiers from the October 7 attacks and was dedicated on Israel's Independence Day with Regional Council head Eran Doron present, according to reports from the area. Earlier this week, a memorial corner for Golani fighter Yehuda Peretz was defaced, and days earlier an entrance sign was spray-painted with symbols associated with the Azazme Bedouin tribe, which has historical land claims in the region. The regional council has characterized the incidents as a coordinated attempt to undermine governance and public order. The Zioneer previously reported on a related pattern of vandalism in the same area on June 9, though that bulletin labeled it a broader background trend. No suspects have been named, and police have not issued a public statement on the incidents as of Wednesday noon.
2 developments
- StrongMemorial for Golani soldier Yehuda Peretz defaced again in Negev; police complaint filed
- DevelopingVandal defaces Israeli sovereignty symbols in Negev community Rethmim
- DevelopingCommentary: Jewish woman removed as 'Long live October 7' chant tolerated in Britain
- DevelopingInvestigation: Two IDF soldiers removed Lebanese flag from SLA memorial in Metula
Source and signal
- Open-source intake