A group violent protesters broke into the international airport of Makhachkala, the capital of the republic, this Sunday Russian from Dagestanin search of “Jews” precisely after the landing of a plane that came from Tel Aviv. Dagestan is a Muslim-majority Russian region.

The tumult has reached airport runways and the passengers of the designated flight have had to return to the plane due to the threat of the rioters, according to Russian media and videos published on social networks. The Federal Air Transport Agency has confirmed the airport closure and two other flights from Nizhnevartovsk and Moscow have been redirected to Mineralnie Vodi and Vladikavkaz.

Finally, the security forces have used riot control means to dissolve the protest and the federal Infestation Committee has announced the opening of a criminal investigation under Article 212 of the Penal Code for “massive riots with violence.” This article also includes intentional fires, destruction of property, the use of firearms, explosives or armed resistance to Government agents and also pogroms.

Red Wings airline flight WZ 4728 from Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport was the target of the violentwho checked the passports of some of the passengers on the plane and of people leaving the airport in cars, according to the Russian news portal Baza.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Dagestan government has warned that all participants in these riots may be chased in accordance with Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code for violation of the procedure established for the organization of demonstrations or concentrations. Likewise, incitement to riots or ethnic hatred will also be prosecuted.

Netanyahu’s response

In response, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahuand the Israeli Foreign Ministry have called on Russian authorities to protect Israeli citizens and Jews in Dagestan in a joint statement.

“Israel hopes that the Russian legal authorities safeguard the well-being of all Israeli citizens and Jews wherever they are and to take strong measures against the rioters and against the savage hatred directed against Jews and Israelis,” he noted.

For all these reasons, “the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Security Council are following the events in the south of Russia, in the Dagestan district.” Furthermore, the Israeli ambassador in Moscow, Alex Ben Zvi, “is working with the Russian authorities to ensure the welfare of jews and Israelis in that place.