In response to reports of Israeli extremists vandalizing an Islamic mosque in the Palestinian village of Yasuf, the following statement was issued by Mr. Stephen Savitsky, president, and Rabbi Steven Weil, executive vice president, of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America:

We condemn the reported acts of vandalism, in which Israelis are alleged to have entered a mosque and set fire to its carpet, destroyed holy objects and wrote hateful graffiti messages on the walls. There is no justification for such actions.

Jewish synagogues and holy sites, in Israel and across the globe, have been similarly vandalized and desecrated over the course of history and, thus, Jews should know very well that such actions are beyond the pale.

We support the efforts of the Israeli authorities to investigate this matter and bring those responsible to justice.

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