Memorial in southern Israel town vandalized, sprayed with swastikas

Memorial defaced with phrases "Gaza" and "Palestine."

By YASSER OKBI/ MAARIV HASHAVUA
Vandalized memorial in Omer. (photo credit: NIR NISSIM)
Vandalized memorial in Omer.
(photo credit: NIR NISSIM)
A memorial for fallen IDF soldiers was vandalized over the weekend in Omer, a town in Southern Israel.
Residents discovered the vandalism Friday.
Swastikas, and the phrases "Gaza" and "Palestine" were spray-painted onto the memorial.
A complaint was filed at the local police station.
The regional authority of Omer said the vandalism is a new phenomenon in the area. Just last week, the town experienced two cases of arson in its local park.
Pini Badash, head of the regional authority, pointed an accusatory finger at the town's  "neighboring Beduins," and said security cameras would be installed on site.
He expressed anger and demanded that the police force use all its resources to locate the perpetrators.