Eli, a 19-year-old Charedi from London who recently studied in Davos, is currently spending his holidays with his family in the picturesque Swiss town. He was recently attacked by two men. Out of concern for his safety, Eli does not want his full name published. The editors know his full name. A conversation.
Eli, in the night between Thursday and Friday you were attacked and insulted by Jew-haters in Davos. How are you now? Are you hurt?
No, I’m physically fine. I wasn’t really seriously injured in the attack. But the attackers hurt me. I’m better now.
What exactly happened?
I was walking on the promenade in Davos. Suddenly two men were in front of me and attacked me. They hit me and spat at me while shouting “Free Palestine!” I pushed them aside and then they ran away.
Where do the perpetrators come from?
I don’t know. My impression is that the perpetrators were not of Arab origin, but definitely supporters of the so-called pro-Palestinian demonstrations, at which numerous anti-Semitic incidents occur again and again.
Did anyone help you?
A man showed up. He was not Jewish, he helped me a lot and was very nice. He ran towards the attackers and tried to calm them down. But they didn’t listen to him. Later he gave me his phone number and offered to be a witness. What a kind person!
How were you treated by the authorities?
The police were very courteous. They arrived within a few minutes and took the case seriously. The officers were also polite.
Why do you think you were targeted by the attackers? Did they identify you as a Jew and then spontaneously attack you?
I was the only person there. That means the perpetrators only had me to push around. But it is no coincidence that they attacked me and shouted “Free Palestine”.
Had you seen the perpetrators before? Or did someone else recognize them?
No.
How safe do you feel since the attack in Davos?
I am still in a state of shock, upset and, unfortunately, very traumatized. I will no longer be able to walk around here alone. It is sad that this has happened. I lived and studied here for two years – and nothing like this happened during that time.
So you know Davos well. Do you have the impression that the atmosphere there has changed since October 7?
I don’t think so, because the Swiss behave in a very natural way. They are not problematic. But that doesn’t seem to be the case among tourists. At least that’s how I perceive it.
So were the attackers tourists?
I think so. That is, I don’t think they were Swiss.
In recent months, there have been repeated anti-Semitic incidents in Davos. First, the mood was turned against Jews. Then they were no longer allowed to rent sleighs. What is going on?
Well, Davos is a popular holiday destination for Jews. We love the air and the beauty up here. There are more Jews here than anywhere else in Switzerland. And obviously not everyone likes that.
