Israeli tourist beat up in Berlin while speaking Hebrew on phone call
German authorities are investigating a possible antisemitic motivation for the attack
A 19-year-old Israeli tourist was attacked by a group of three men in the Berlin neighborhood of Kreuzberg on Saturday evening, German news magazine Focus reported.
The man and an 18-year-old woman, both Israeli, were walking on Hedemann Street and the man was talking on the phone in Hebrew.
Then, a car with four men parked next to the couple. The driver remained in the car while three men got out and tried to converse with the Israeli man, who did not understand German.
The men proceeded to beat and kick the Israeli man, even after he fell to the ground, before driving away.
The Israeli tourist was treated for injuries to his head and arm at a local hospital, while his friend remained unhurt.
The local branch of the German domestic intelligence agency said it will investigate a possible antisemitic motivation for the attack.
German Ambassador to Israel Steffen Seibert, condemned the attack on Twitter.
"This is disgusting, I hope the perpetrators get caught," he said. "It is unacceptable that something like this happens to a young Jew in Berlin."
Ron Prosor, Israel's ambassador in Germany, also condemned the incident via Twitter.
"Another Israeli is brutally attacked in the German capital. This is unacceptable! Israelis and Jews shouldn't feel unsafe in the streets of Berlin and every other German city. The German authorities need to take every measure to stop these attacks and incitement against Israel and Jews, before it is too late."
Similar attacks have been reported from the same neighborhood in the past. Kreuzberg is known as an area with a relatively high percentage of immigrants, many of them from a Muslim background.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
