Shock spread through the Jewish community following the circulation in recent days of unusual antisemitic footage from the city of Osh. Management at Hotel Villa chose to place a sign at the entrance explicitly banning "Jews and animals" from entering.
The sign, written in Kyrgyz, Russian, and English, included illustrations of a Star of David and a dog crossed out with a red line - imagery evoking painful memories of the Holocaust and the Nazi dehumanization apparatus.
Yoav Bistritsky, Israel’s ambassador to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, acted immediately with local government officials to secure the removal of the sign and action against those responsible.
“I welcome the swift action by the authorities to remove the antisemitic sign and launch a criminal investigation against those responsible," the ambassador said, emphasizing that hatred of this kind has no place in modern society.
Following public and diplomatic pressure, the sign was removed in less than 24 hours.