by The Commentator on 25 June 2013 11:18

A leading member of the anti-Israel Jewish sect Neturei Karta was assaulted in what seems to be an anti-Semitic attack by a Muslim man in Amsterdam.

Israel's Channel 2 news reported that Yosef Antebi, a prominent member of the anti-Zionist group that frequently marches alongside anti-Israel protestors, was hospitalised after an attack on the streets of the Dutch capital.

A friend of Antebi reported, "As he was walking down the street, a car stopped next to him, and a man who appeared to be a Muslim immigrant came out. The immigrant started shouting anti-Jewish slurs at the rabbi. Rabbi Antebi is anti-Zionist, he does not advocate for war in the Middle East but he was identified as a Zionist. The Muslim started yelling at him and threatening him, and the rabbi noticed that the immigrant was going to attack him."

At this point, the friend said, Rabbi Antebi asked passersby to help him, but was ignored.

"He tried to escape, and the Muslim began to run after him, caught him and started kicking him in the stomach and lungs,” said the friend. “He felt that he could not breathe, collapsed, began to vomit blood, while the immigrant spat on him. After the attacker fled the scene, Rabbi Antebi recovered a bit and managed to photograph him.”

According to some reports, Antebi attempted to stress his anti-Israel credentials during the assault, and his group has since placed blame for the attack on the shoulders of the State of Israel.

Neturei Karta, a fringe cult of Judaism, opposes the establishment of the State of Israel and said blamed the attack on the “Zionist evil, which causes anti-Semitism all around the world, until even those who are truly observant and faithful Jews are liable to fall victim, and pay a high price for the Zionists' sins.”

In a statement, Neturei Karta said that Antebi was “attacked by a Muslim immigrant, possibly Pakistani. The immigrant began to rant against the Jews and the Jewish religion. They began angrily beating the victim. Rabbi Anteby sustained numerous blows and asked for help from passerby, but these ignored him. He then tried to escape, but was unable to, as his non-Jewish attacker was too strong. Finally Antebi fell, unable to move, and the non-Jew then ran away.”

Neturei Karta often wins international headlines despite their tiny percentage of world Jewry. Members of the cult have in the past met with former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has publicly called to wipe Israel off the map.