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Afghanistan’s last Jew leaves after Taliban takeover
The last member of Afghanistan’s Jewish community has left the country, AP reported.
Zebulon Simentov, who lived in a dilapidated synagogue in Kabul, kept kosher and prayed in Hebrew, endured decades of war as the country’s centuries-old Jewish community rapidly dwindled.
Moti Kahana, an Israeli-American businessman who runs a private security group that organized the evacuation, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the 62-year-old Simentov and 29 of his neighbors, nearly all of them women and children, have been taken to a “neighboring country.”
Kahana said Simentov, who had lived under Taliban rule before, was not worried about them. But Kahana warned him that he was at risk of being kidnapped or killed by the far more radical Islamic State group (Daesh).
He said Simentov’s neighbors also pressed him to leave, so that their children could join him on the bus.
Kahana said his group is reaching out to U.S. and Israeli authorities to find a permanent home for Simentov, whose estranged wife and children live in Israel.
Hebrew manuscripts found in caves in northern Afghanistan indicate a thriving Jewish community existed there at least 1,000 years ago. In the late 19th century, Afghanistan was home to some 40,000 Jews, many of them Persian Jews who had fled forced conversion in neighboring Iran.
The community’s decline began with an exodus to Israel after its creation in 1948.
In an interview with The Associated Press in 2009, Simentov said the last Jewish families left after the 1979 Soviet invasion.
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Afghanistan committed to continued cooperation with UN on humanitarian and development projects: FM Muttaqi
According to the ministry, during the meeting Lemarquis shared his views on improving the delivery and management of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan says Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has met with Bruno Lemarquis, Deputy Special Representative of UNAMA and Humanitarian Coordinator, for an introductory meeting.
According to the ministry, during the meeting Lemarquis shared his views on improving the delivery and management of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.
The Afghan Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of continuing humanitarian aid while also stressing the need to implement development and infrastructure projects across the country. He reiterated that the Islamic Emirate will continue its necessary cooperation with the United Nations in this regard.
Lemarquis thanked the Foreign Minister for the meeting and pledged to make full efforts in carrying out his responsibilities. He also highlighted the importance of expanding engagement and cooperation in various sectors between the two sides.
A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan on Saturday afternoon, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The quake’s epicenter was reported in Jurm district of Badakhshan province, with a depth of 208.3 kilometers.
So far, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage following the tremor.
Shahabuddin Delawar, Head of the Commission for Contact with Afghan Personalities, says Afghanistan has achieved security, unified governance, brotherhood, and progress for the first time in 47 years under the administration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
Speaking at a meeting in Kabul on Saturday, Delawar said Afghanistan had lacked a unified system over the past four decades, but added that with the return of the Islamic Emirate, the issue has now been resolved.
Referring to Ashura commemorations held on Friday, he said the occasion was observed peacefully across the country under full security.
Delawar also urged exiled Afghan politicians to return, saying the commission was established to serve Afghans and address the concerns of returning figures. He added that any legal disputes involving returnees would be handled exclusively through the commission.
He further said the Islamic Emirate has expanded treatment centers and intensified anti-narcotics efforts since regaining power, claiming this has led to a significant decline in drug addiction.
Addressing the issue of international legitimacy, Delawar said he understood why the United States has not recognized the Islamic Emirate, arguing that Washington suffered a defeat in Afghanistan that it cannot easily overlook.
“They have suffered a major defeat that they cannot forget; if they recognize us, they will face questions from their own people,” Delawar said.
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