Vandals desecrate war memorial in Jerusalem

The vandals spray painted  "Zionism is the original sin,” “Zionists are wretched," and "Gunter Grass was right" on the entrance to the museum. The Gunter Grass incident refers to a German writer who wrote earlier this month that Israel was a serious threat to global peace and security, and who the Interior Ministry subsequently declared a persona non grata.

They also tried to burn the large flag that flies atop Ammunition Hill, but they were unsuccessful.

Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat slammed the attacks and immediately sent the anti-graffiti teams from the municipality to clean the site. Police opened an investigation but had no leads towards the perpetrators.

Ammunition Hill director Katri Maoz said the graffiti he found most offensive was the damage to a memorial for soldiers who died in the line of duty and were children of soldiers who fought at the site in the Six Day War. The vandals blacked out a verse from the Torah inscribed on the memorial – “The children will remember the covenant of their fathers.”

Maoz said he thought the site was targeted because it is a well-known location that attracts many different sectors of the population.  “Always before Remembrance Day it’s a sensitive and difficult time,” said Maoz. “During this time the nation actually finds a way to unite and leave the disagreements behind, and someone is trying to destroy this,” he said.

MK Uri Ariel (National Union), the head of the Jerusalem lobby, condemned the attack’s timing right before the Memorial Day holiday and accused the perpetrators of “lacking any Jewish sensitivity.”