Vandalized gravestone
Photo: Yonat Atlas
Gabriel Dwait
Photo: Yonat Atlas
Gravestone of citizen returned from Lebanon vandalized
Unknown assailants destroy, spray-paint swastikas on tombstone of Gabriel Dwait, Israeli civilian whose body was included in recent swap deal with Hizbullah
For the second time in two days, unknown assailants on Tuesday vandalized the gravestone of Gabriel Dwait, the Israeli citizens whose body was returned from Lebanon three months ago as part of a swap deal
with Hizbullah.
The gravestone of another Ethiopian immigrant was also vandalized. The cemetery caretaker reported the incident to the police.
Workers at the Beersheba cemetery found the shattered gravestone on Tuesday morning, sprayed with swastikas and inscription in Russian, "Death to the Jews".
Report:
IDF's intelligence branch knew what happened to man who drowned three years ago and whose body was returned this week in exchange deal with Hizbullah, but State did not bother to update his family, Yedioth Ahronoth reports
On Sunday, the two gravestones were shattered and completely destroyed. Police launched an investigation into the matter, and raised the possibility that this was a racist act.
After discovering the swastikas on Tuesday, the police appointed a special investigation team to look into the possibility that the act was anti-Semitic.
Yoram Sofer, the Beersheba police commander, "This investigation will take all the necessary measures until those responsible for this criminal act are found and brought to justice."
Dwait's sisters, who arrived at the cemetery, could not believe their eyes.
"This cannot be happening to us again," Tova Kasai, Dwait's sister, told Ynet. "They're not even letting him rest in peace. He didn’t do anything to them, and I can't understand what kind of evil people are capable of doing such a thing.
"We are real Jews. Even when I grew up with Christians around me abroad, I never encountered such a cruel act. It's a shame that this should happen in the State of Israel of all places."
Dwait's niece, Ziva Kasai, said, "Now it is clear that this was a racist act directed at the Ethiopians. This takes us back and it is so painful to see the gravestone vandalized in such a manner."
