By Peter Lyukimson, Israel, exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
Robert Tivyayev, head of the Israeli Association of Mountain Jews, has commented on the murder attempt against Ovadya Isakov, a Rabbi in Dagestan’s Derbent. The official called it the only such incident in the history of Dagestan. He recalled that the republic had always been a region of interethnic friendship and religious tolerance, where attacks on religious figures had been an unforgivable crime.
Tivyayev believes that the assailants shooting Isakov wanted to ruin efforts of the federal authorities of Russia and Dagestani acting President Ramazan Abdulatipov who struggle to stabilize the situation. The expert noted that there were forces trying to aggravate the criminal situation and provoke interethnic and inter-religious conflicts to stop normalization of life.
He added that his organization could not criticize Dagestani authorities of infringing the rights of Jews for freedom of faith and national culture. Tivyayev said that the local government was doing its best to support freedom. The republic has synagogues, Jewish schools, public life, although the population of Jews has dropped in the past decades.
