As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, an intelligence group that compiles information from former international intelligence officials issued a report encouraging all Israeli and Jewish people to avoid nonessential international travel, especially to the Middle East.
A copy of the report was shared with Scripps News.
The report states that anti-Israel groups are likely to stage protest activities in various countries. It encourages Israeli and Jewish travelers to keep a low profile in the public sphere. The report says Israeli and Jewish travelers should avoid revealing their identities and religious and political inclinations.
"Among these societal groups and activist networks, some rogue individuals are liable to physically assault Israelis/Jews/pro-Israel activists or vandalize/attempt to sabotage property belonging to these individuals, such as Jewish community centers, Israeli Embassy premises, or synagogues," the report said. "Attacks on pro-Israel protests are likely, although will likely be heavily policed."
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The report also suggested that Americans could be targeted based on the United States' close partnership with Israel.
"Assaults on US nationals/companies/government buildings are less likely but cannot be ruled out given the perception in some countries of Washington’s biased stance and support for Israel’s military activities," the report states.
Currently, the State Department has issued "do not travel" alerts to the Gaza Strip for all Americans. The State Department is also encouraging American travelers to exercise increased caution when traveling to Israel and the West Bank.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told Scripps News he was unaware of specific threats against Jewish Americans, but said taking precautions is a "responsible" step.
"We have a large, very vibrant Jewish community here in the United States and they need to know that they can worship and they can work and they can spend time with their families and their communities safely without the fear of hatred, without the fear of any violence." Kirby said.
Reporting from Alex Miller contributed to this story.
