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Miron - Travelers who visited the Cave of the Tannaitic sage Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai on Saturday found neo-Nazi graffiti in the form of swastikas spray-painted on the walls near the cave.

The tomb, located in Peki'in, is considered a holy place and is often visited by pilgrims who recite prayers there and supplications to the ancient sage.

Police have opened an investigation and report that suspects were arrested even before the probe got underway.

There have been several cases of damage to property owned by Jews in recent years, including the burning of a Jew and smashing of clay pots at a home.

Last August a 60-year-old Peki'in resident was arrested on suspicion of spray-painting neo-Nazi graffit on the walls of the ancient synagogue in the community. Arutz Sheva reported at the time that Margalit Zinati, a veteran resident in the area, had woken up to discover the words, "Death to the Jews" painted on her walls with a swastika. She called the police and the detectives who came to the community questioned the matter. Within a short time, another swastika was discovered painted on the walls of the synagogue next door to Zinati's home.

The place was packed with Jews during the day, some of whom arrived after the incident, and some of whom were touring in the area. "They hate Israel. For years they are harrassing Jews. We are talking about a group of people that does this deliberately in order to obliterate the existence of Jews in Peki'in," Zinati told them.

Unknown vandals spray-painted Nazi swastikas, Christian crosses and epithets on walls and asphalt roads at the "caravilla" site of Nitzan in southern Israel in the wee hours of Friday morning.

Incidents of neo-Nazi violence and vandalism were unheard of in Israel until recent years.

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