During the visit of Iran's Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Yehuda Gerami on Thursday to the tombs of Mordecai and Esther in the city of Hamadan, Iran, he was surprised to find a Palestinian Authority flag hanging at the entrance.
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Every year, members of the Jewish community in Iran come to pray at the tomb complex in Hamadan during the Fast of Esther. The rabbi arrived with his family to observe the fast, preceding Purim.
In recent months, the site was a target for violence, including arson, after demonstrators expressed anger that authorities maintain control over the site. The rabbi and his family were surprised to see the Palestinian flag flying outside the tomb complex due to the war in Gaza. Iranian authorities had been safeguarding the holy site and do not succumb to pressure from extremists to desecrate the site.
In October last year, following the outbreak of the war, extremists in the province sought to change the status of the tombs of Mordecai and Esther from private to public. They claimed, without any basis, that it was with the consent of Jews living in Iran. The request came a day after protesters burned the Israeli flag outside the complex.
Extremist demonstrators demanded to turn the structure into a "museum of Zionist regime crimes" and establish a public relations office for "Palestinian resistance forces" in its place. Jewish parliament member Homayoun Shmahi sent a letter to the Iranian government, requesting protection. According to community sources, authorities rejected the extremists' request.