The authorities of Dagestan accuse ‘‘enemies’’ from abroad, including Ukraine, of attempts to incite inter-ethnic dispute and destabilization. The case concerns yesterday’s anti-Semitic rally at Makhachkala airport. Some locals stormed the airport as a passenger plane from Israel’s capital Tel Aviv landed. The protesters held Palestinian flags and demanded the Jews not be allowed in the territory of Dagestan. The police were unable to stop the protestors who tried to break into the plane. They checked the passports of passengers to determine their origin.

According to Dagestani authorities, more than 150 active protesters were identified and 60 have already been arrested. Over 20 people were injured during the struggle, including 9 policemen.

The flight from Israel to Dagestan was carried out by the Russian airline Red Wings. Calls against passengers arriving from Israel were being spread in Telegram channels since morning.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office and Foreign Ministry said yesterday that ‘‘Israel closely monitors all attempts to harm Israeli citizens and Jews, and hopes that Russian law enforcement will protect the safety of all Israelis and Jews, and at the same time, act decisively against the unrest.’’

The protesters held Palestinian flags and demanded the Jews not be allowed in the territory of Dagestan.

According to the head of Dagestan, Sergey Melikov, they received reliable intelligence today, that the Telegram channel ‘‘Utro Dagestan’’, which called on the local population to rise in protest, is operated from the territory of Ukraine.

Hamas launched a rocket attack on Israeli cities on October 7 and invaded the neighboring areas of the Gaza Strip from the ground. On October 8, the Israeli government declared a state of war in the country and launched air and artillery strikes on the Gaza Strip. The radical Islamist movement that controls the Gaza Strip considers Israel an occupying state. Thousands of civilians died on both sides. According to UN data, more than a million people were forced to leave their homes in the Gaza Strip since the start of hostilities. Hamas has taken around 200 hostages from the territory of Israel.

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