Israel has called upon Russia to safeguard the lives of "all its citizens and all Jews" following a violent mob attack in Dagestan, where a large group, some shouting anti-Semitic slogans,
stormed the local airport in Makhachkala.
Social media video footage captured the angry crowd running through the airport in search of people arriving from Tel Aviv. A portion of the mob even reached the airport's runway and surrounded aircraft.
Russia's aviation agency, Rosaviatsia, reported that security forces eventually restored order. In response, the authorities opted to close the airport, a closure that will remain in effect until Tuesday.
Russian news agencies noted that sixty individuals associated with the mob have been arrested, as stated by the local interior ministry. Videos circulating online depicted hundreds of people storming the airport terminal, with some brandishing Palestinian flags. The crowd included individuals shouting anti-Semitic slogans, while others chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest).
Local media reported that some demonstrators took to stopping vehicles outside Makhachkala's airport, demanding to see documents in a tumultuous search for Israeli passports.
The region of Dagestan, situated in the North Caucasus and predominantly Muslim, is home to around 3.1 million people and lies along the western coast of the Caspian Sea. The republic's health ministry disclosed that twenty individuals were injured during the incident, including several police officers. Some sustained severe injuries, and two individuals are in critical condition. Dagestan's government announced that a criminal case had been initiated for civil disorder.
Israel's Prime Minister's Office has urged Russia to take swift and decisive action against incitement to violence targeting Jews and Israelis.
A spokesperson for the US President, Adrienne Watson, tweeted, "The United States vigorously condemns the anti-Semitic protests in Dagestan." The White House National Security Council Spokesperson emphasized, "The US unequivocally stands with the entire Jewish community as we witness a worldwide surge in anti-Semitism. There is never any excuse or justification for anti-Semitism."
Despite voicing support for Gaza, Dagestan's government has called on its citizens to remain calm and abstain from participating in such protests. Across the world, there have been widespread demonstrations against Israel's bombardment of Gaza.
Dagestan's Governor Sergei Melikov criticized the mob's invasion of the airport in a Telegram post, condemning their abuse of strangers and the invasive searches for passports. He also decried the attacks on women with children, characterizing the mob's actions as a betrayal of Dagestani patriots, including those serving in the Russian armed forces in Ukraine.
Israel's foreign ministry disclosed that the Israeli ambassador in Moscow is collaborating with Russian authorities. The ministry stressed that Israel views attempts to harm Israeli citizens and Jews gravely, expecting Russian law enforcement to protect all Israeli citizens and Jews and take robust action against rioters and those inciting hatred toward Jews and Israelis.
In a separate incident on Saturday, a crowd in Khasavyurt in Dagestan gathered outside a hotel where they believed some Israelis were staying, throwing stones at the windows and placing a sign on the door restricting entrance to "citizens of Israel... (Jews)."
Dagestan is not the sole North Caucasus region contending with unrest, as a Jewish center in Kabardino-Balkaria was set on fire over the weekend. Chechnya's information minister, Akhmed Dudayev, has called upon people to resist following the lead of provocateurs and to avoid succumbing to the incitement of ethnic hatred. Photo by Dalibor Z. Chvatal, Wikimedia commons.