POLICE are hunting vandals who daubed the word "Hizbollah" in foot-high letters in white paint on the road outside Scotland's oldest synagogue.
The graffiti at Garnethill Synagogue in Glasgow was condemned as an act of antiSemitic vandalism yesterday by the Jewish community. Dr Kenneth Collins, president of the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, said: "The Jewish community in Glasgow has been deeply shocked by the graffiti. There is always concern about events which are taking place in the Middle East being reflected in Glasgow and some of these events leading to acts of anti-Semitism.
"We have welcomed an approach from Muslim leaders in Glasgow for a meeting to ensure inter-communal harmony in these difficult times.
"We have no truckwith those who would use anti-Semitism to further their political aims."
Gerald Levin, 73, synagogue president, said: "I am sure this is linked to what is going on in the Middle East. We have never had problems like this before.
"We are talking about covering the windows with plastic to stop people being showered with glass if there was an explosion. We have also spoken with the police about CCTV."
Harry Diamond, a retired journalist and prominent member of the Jewish community in Glasgow, dismissed the attack, which happened between Sunday night and Monday morning. He said: "It really is just mindless stupidity, it doesn't serve any purpose to anybody. There are more important things to worry about going on in the world." A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said: "Inquiries are continuing into the incident but the actual vandalism has already been removed by the council."
Garnethill is Scotland's oldest purpose-built synagogue as well as being one of the oldest places of Jewish worship in Britain. It was built in 1879 to accommodate the growing population of Jews escaping persecution, mainly from eastern Europe. Glasgow architect John McLeod designed the L-shaped building for the city's Hebrew congregation, which at that time numbered around 700.
The synagogue received a GBP600,000 facelift eight years ago in preparation for its 125th anniversary celebrations held throughout 2004.
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