Monday, April 1, 2013

Historic Damascus Synagogue Looted, Destroyed; Jobar Synagogue Was Holiest Jewish Site in Syria

The 2,000-year-old Jobar Synagogue in the Syrian capital of Damascus -- the country's holiest Jewish site -- was looted and burned to the ground yesterday, the Times of Israel website reports today (April 1, 2013).

The Syrian army loyal to President Bashar Assad and rebel forces are blaming each other for the destruction of the historic synagogue.

The synagogue is said to be built on the site where the prophet Elijah concealed himself from persecution and anointed his successor, Elisha, as a prophet. It had been damaged last week by mortars reportedly fired by Syrian government forces.

The rebels said the Syrian government looted the synagogue before burning it to the ground. On the other hand, the government said the rebels burned the synagogue and that so-called Zionist agents stole its historic religious items in an operation that had been planned for several weeks.

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