The White House said Sunday it \u2018vigorously condemns\u2019 the group of pro-Palestinian rioters in Russia who flooded an airport as they were shouting antisemitic chants and reportedly searching for passengers from a flight that departed from Tel Aviv, Israel.<\/p>\n
The airport, located in the city of Makhachkala in the Republic of Dagestan, closed after rioters began flooding the runway Sunday night, Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia reported. All other flights headed toward Makhachkala were diverted.<\/p>\n
In the first public comment made by the Biden administration since the incident, White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the U.S. condemns the \u2018antisemitic protests\u2019 at the airport in Russia.<\/p>\n
\u2018The United States vigorously condemns the antisemitic protests\u00a0in Dagestan, Russia,\u2019\u00a0Watson wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. \u2018The U.S. unequivocally stands with the entire Jewish community as we witness a worldwide surge in antisemitism. There is never any excuse or justification for antisemitism.\u2019<\/p>\n
Many users on X blasted Watson\u2019s post for referring to the riot as a \u2018protest,\u2019 with some people replying that the correct term would be \u2018pogrom,\u2019 which means attacks on particular ethnic groups, particularly Jewish people.<\/p>\n
During the riot, a small number of Israelis were \u2018isolated\u2019 at the airport as rioters were heard yelling \u2018Allahu Akbar\u2019 and antisemitic slogans, according to Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reporter Amichai Stein.<\/p>\n
The Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem told Reuters that an Israeli ambassador in Russia was working with authorities to protect the Israelis in the region.<\/p>\n
\u2018The State of Israel views gravely attempts to harm Israeli citizens and Jews anywhere,\u2019 the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. \u2018Israel expects the Russian law enforcement authorities to safeguard all Israeli citizens and Jews, whoever they may be, and to take robust action against the rioters and against the unbridled incitement being directed at Jews and Israelis.\u2019<\/p>\n
The majority of residents in Dagestan are Muslim while Jewish people represent a minority group in Russia \u2013 accounting for approximately 83,000 people in the entire country.<\/p>\n
The riot at the Russian airport comes amid the ongoing war in the Middle East between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists.\u00a0<\/p>\n
More than 9,400 people have been killed on both sides since Hamas\u00a0launched its\u00a0largest attack\u00a0against Israel in decades on Oct. 7, prompting Israeli forces to respond. Thousands more have been wounded, and many others have been taken hostage by Hamas and raped, tortured and murdered.<\/p>\n
Fox News\u2019 Andrea Vacchiano contributed to this report.<\/p>\n