Deported Italian Muslim Claims Life Ruined After Attacking Rabbi

A 21-year-old man born in Italy, Batar Zahani, has been deported to Tunisia following his involvement in the assault and harassment of Rabbi Tzemach Mizrahi in Milan in mid-September 2026. Zahani, a mechanical engineering student and civil defense volunteer, was expelled after Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi announced his deportation and that of another Moroccan citizen, stating Italy has no tolerance for antisemitism, hatred, or violence. Video footage showed Zahani and two others hitting Rabbi Mizrahi, stealing his hat, and mocking him at a bus stop. In an interview with Corriere della Sera from Tunisia, Zahani claimed he was unjustly deported, asserting the incident was a "bad joke" and not motivated by antisemitism or hatred. He described his arrest as sudden and his deportation as immediate, preventing him from saying goodbye to his family in Italy. Now in Tunisia, a country where he never lived and barely speaks the language, Zahani expressed despair, stating his life is ruined and he feels alone despite securing an apartment. He insists he feels Italian, is willing to "die for Italy," and urgently requests to return home, but Italian authorities have rejected any concessions.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi confirmed the deportation of two foreign nationals involved in the attack, emphasizing that Italy will not tolerate hate or antisemitism.