Israel-Neturei Karta-Fire /POL/ Anti-Zionist synagogue destroyed by fire New York, April 4, IRNA -- A synagogue of anti-Zionist Jews has been totally destroyed by fire in New York in the latest attack on the group by pro-Israeli gangs in the US.
Suspicion immediately fell on Zionist critics of the group, which has always been a target of attacks in the heavily Jewish community north of New York City because of its anti-Israel views.
Members of the Neturei Karta congregation have been subject to mounting harassments since they traveled to Tehran to take part at a conference on the Holocaust.
In the months that followed, the group received threatening phone calls at its synagogue where rocks were thrown at its windows.
Then on Sunday night, on the eve of Passover, those threats erupted into flames where the synagogue became engulfed in a blaze that nearly burned it to the ground.
No one was injured when flames gutted the three-story building and a senior rabbi and his family who lived on the top floor were not at home.
The group routinely burns the Zionist flag and prays for an end to the Israeli occupation regime.
"They have threatened us, they have warned us, they have harassed us," said Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss, referring to critics.
"This fire is a desecration of God's name." Weiss called it a "tragedy" that so many holy books went up in flames.
"A part of our heart and soul was taken away," he said.
Officials have said an investigation was underway into the cause of the fire but have tried to rule out arson.
On Monday, authorities said investigators found no sign of accelerants in the charred house or any other indication of arson.
The Neturei Karta members do not dispute that the Holocaust took place, but they believe Zionists have exploited it for their own advantage and suppression of the Palestinians.
They have appeared publicly with many critics of the Zionist regime, including Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
It was the trip to Iran late last year by five members of the group that caused renewed attacks.
Ahmadinejad has called for an international scientific research on Holocaust to study the scale of the event.
Members of Neturei Karta took part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in London.
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Publish Date: 4 April 2007 - 00:01