TALIA DEKEL
Three counselors from the Bnei Akiva youth movement were attacked not far from the organization's central branch in Paris on Saturday afternoon.
Two of the Bnei Akiva counselors attacked Saturday, standing either side of another member of the youth movement.
Photo: World Bnei AkivaThe boys, aged between 17 and 18, had just finished the minha prayer when they were attacked by a group of Muslims, the head of Bnei Akiva's French desk, Binyamin Tuati, told The Jerusalem Post Sunday.
According to a statement released by World Bnei Akiva spokesman Tzvika Klein, the youths were initially approached by a group of three Muslim/African immigrants who began to throw chestnuts in their direction. When one of the counselors asked them why they were being attacked, the assailants began shouting anti-Semitic remarks.
Ten to 12 attackers wearing brass knuckles joined the original three and beat the three Jews until police arrived.
The victims, Dan Nabet, Kevin Bitan and David Buaziz, had all been released from hospital by Sunday afternoon, sporting several wounds, including a broken nose, a broken jaw and stitches.
According to Tuati, the victims' families filed a complaint with police. The incident has already been recognized as an anti-Semitic attack by local authorities. So far, police have identified three suspects.
Bnei Akiva members celebrate Israel's 60th year of independence in Paris.
Photo: Courtesy of World Bnei AkivaBnei Akiva is concerned that the incident occurred in a central area for its members, in the 19th arrondissement in northeast Paris. The area, said Tuati, was close to a school and was visited by roughly 150 children every Shabbat.
It was the second anti-Semitic attack near the Bnei Akiva branch in two months.
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Paris Muslims attack 3 Bnei Akiva youthsPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 @ 12:36:06 EDT in Islam Associated Topics
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