U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that Jews in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk were recently given notices instructing them to officially identify themselves as Jews.
“In the year 2014, after all of the miles traveled and all of the journey of history, this is not just intolerable, it’s grotesque. It is beyond unacceptable. And any of the people who engage in these kinds of activities — from whatever party or whatever ideology or whatever place they crawl out of — there is no place for that,” he said, as reported by CNN.
A report released by USA Today said the notices bore the name of Denis Pushilin, who identified himself as chairman of “Donetsk’s temporary government,” and were distributed near the Donetsk synagogue and other areas.
The leaflet begins, “Dear Ukraine citizens of Jewish nationality,” and states that all Jews 16 or older must report to the Commissioner for Nationalities in the Donetsk Regional Administration to register.
CNN could not immediately confirm the reports.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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