Overview
- Reports say a small group heading to light the final Hanukkah candle near Istanbul’s Neve Shalom Synagogue was surrounded by pro‑Palestinian demonstrators on Sunday evening.
- Footage posted online appears to show about seven individuals confronted by a larger crowd waving PLO flags and shouting anti‑Zionist slogans, including calls for “Zionists” to leave the country.
- Local police are shown in the video blocking the demonstrators from approaching the group and dispersing the crowd, according to the reports.
- The authenticity and full context of the video have not been independently confirmed by the outlets sharing it.
- One outlet reported the group were tourists on a Jewish heritage tour, and coverage places the episode within a broader rise in antisemitic incidents since October 2023.