Rabbi threatened with screwdriver in antisemitic attack amid global rise post-Hamas incidents; former UK PM emphasizes Israel’s essential role.
Rabbi Haim Fabrizio Cipriani, 52, was attacked with a screwdriver in Genoa’s historic district by a man who hurled antisemitic abuse at him.
The Genoa Police were on hand to intervene quickly to protect Rabbi Cipriani and apprehend the assailant.
Thankfully, Rabbi Cipriani was not harmed.
Responding to the attack, he told an Italian newspaper, “I’m shocked but not surprised.”
The police confirmed that the suspect was a 58-year-old homeless man.
He is being charged with assault and violating Mancino’s law against racist hate speech.
Global antisemitism has grown with Europe seeing record-breaking numbers of attacks against Jews.
In the United Kingdom, antisemitic incidents have risen 1,000 percent since the October 7th Hamas massacres.
France has seen a 1,300 percent increase to record high levels.
Germany has reported 29 antisemitic incidents per day.
At the largest demonstration in London against antisemitism since 1936, former PM Boris Johnson said,” Since October 7, there has been a very peculiar response from many parts of the world including, I’m sad to say, in London.”
He continued, “What we’ve seen is the re-emergence of antisemitism and the failure to focus on the appalling terroristic events of Hamas.”
“I think that the antisemitism we have seen in some of the marches around Europe has really confirmed for me the absolutely human necessity for Israel to exist.”