Escalating Anti-Semitic Attacks in Russia's Dagestan Cause Concern

An anti-Semitic riot at an airport in Russia's Dagestan region has left some local Jews feeling unsettled. The riot, which occurred in response to Israel's bombing of Gaza, saw hundreds of Dagestanis rampage through the terminal building and onto the tarmac hunting for Israeli citizens and Jewish people. The authorities managed to evacuate the passengers to safety, but the incident has raised concerns about the safety of the Jewish community in the region. Derbent, once home to a thriving Jewish population, now has only a few hundred Jewish residents. Some Jews have likened the violence to Tsarist-era pogroms against Jews, and there are fears that anti-Semitism may continue to threaten the dwindling Jewish community in Dagestan.