In a disturbing development, Jewish residents of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, have reported being threatened by an antisemitic "Hamas truck" that has been making rounds in the neighborhood, according to the New York Post.
The vehicle, a black Ford F-150 pickup, is covered with provocative imagery, including blood-red paint, fake bullet holes, and images of bloody handprints reminiscent of the infamous 2000 photograph showing a man with bloodied hands after the lynching of two Israeli soldiers in Ramallah.
Flying Palestinian flags and featuring a picture of former Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat on its hood, the truck is often parked near the local Chabad center and blares Arabic music from external speakers. Jewish residents describe it as an "intimidation tactic," with many feeling unsafe due to its presence.
The vehicle has been compared by some to the 1977 Nazi march in Skokie, Illinois, with social media users expressing outrage and questioning the lack of police action. Despite being identified as 21-year-old Jose Littef, the truck's owner has not faced any legal consequences for the vehicle's lack of a valid license plate, registration, or illegal parking. The truck instead displays a fake plate reading "oh Gaza" and has windows tinted beyond legal limits in Brooklyn.
This incident is part of a troubling pattern of antisemitic acts in the area, including vandalism and assaults, prompting further concern among the Jewish community and calls for increased vigilance and legal action against such forms of hate and intimidation.
* Israel National News contributed to this article.