The Yehiam Memorial honoring 47 Carmeli Brigade fighters who were killed during the War of Independence in 1948 was desecrated early Wednesday.
The vandals, who were not caught, scribbled "Stinking Jews" on one of the defunct armored vehicles at the site, located in the Upper Galilee region.
The Haganah fighters were killed on March 27, 1948 when their six-truck convoy, which was sent to reinforce and re-supply the besieged Kibbutz Yehiam, was ambushed by Arabs as it approached al-Kabri.
The kibbutz is located in the Upper Galilee region.
The vandals also damaged information plaques bearing the testimonies of those wounded in the battle.
War memorial in Upper Galilee (Photo: Shai Vaknin)
Mateh Asher Regional Council head Yehuda Shavit told Ynet, "It's too soon to determine that members of a minority group are behind the act – I believe in co-existence. There are a number of possibilities: Perhaps it was the work of people who were intoxicated, or just bored. We'll leave it to the police.
Police said no suspects have been detained as of yet.
Ora Lefer-Mintz, whose father was the cousin of two of the fighters killed in the ambush, told Ynet, "I have to say that the feeling that is accompanying me this morning is that of pain – my heart is torn. Our society has reached the point where everything is permissible and there are no boundaries.
"I am certain that the person behind this act has lost a loved one and is familiar with the pain it entails," she said.