B’nai B’rith International strongly condemns the stabbing of Aharon Zindani who died of multiple stab wounds after being attacked earlier this week in Sanaa, Yemen, by a Muslim man who reportedly accused him of witchcraft. Zindani was a leader in the Yemeni Jewish community in Sanaa, which numbers fewer than 100 people.

“We urge the Yemeni authorities to do everything in their power to bring the perpetrator to justice,” said B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs. “This type of ruthless violence cannot and must not be tolerated.”

Yemeni Jews have encountered anti-Semitism for years. But Jewish communities in the region are at an even greater risk today as tensions have increased over the last year and a half due to the turmoil brought on by the Arab Spring.
“This appalling and saddening episode serves as a reminder of the pervasive anti-Semitism and discrimination that must be addressed in the region,” said B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin. “We urge an assurance of the community’s safety and the safety of all minorities in the country.”