World Report

PARIS (JTA) -- Vandals burned down part of a Jewish elementary school in southern France.

Two trailers used as classrooms at the Pardes Elementary School in Marseilles were destroyed Sunday before firefighters brought the flames under control. The vandals left behind spray-painted messages that said, "Death to the Jews" and "Bin Laden will conquer," police said Monday.

In related news, vandals painted swastikas and the slogans "Death to Israel" and "Support the Palestinians" on the front door of a Jewish community center in Paris' heavily tourist Montmartre area. A complaint has been filed about the attack, which took place Oct. 20.

Italian daily criticized for hate-text posting

ROME (JTA) -- An Italian newspaper is being pressed to remove an anti-Semitic tract from a Web site it hosts.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center demanded that the Italian daily La Repubblica remove the text of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," which was posted on one of the newspaper's online discussion forums.

The tract "appears in its entirety, without explanation and out of context, on your Web site forum entitled 'Missiles on Kabul,'" a Wiesenthal Center official wrote in a letter to La Repubblica's editor.

"We consider that La Repubblica bears responsibility for what is published under its name and logo."

Alleged anti-Semites use shul for gathering

BUDAPEST (JTA) -- Hungarian Jewish leaders complained to officials in the city of Zalaegerszeg that a former synagogue was used to host a meeting of a far-right political party that Jews accuse of anti-Semitism.

The city-owned synagogue was converted long ago into a concert and exhibition hall, but Jews say it has been "desecrated" in recent years by also hosting far-right gatherings, a New Year's Eve party and a male striptease contest.

A Jewish leader told Hungary's leading daily newspaper that such events "not only verge on the borders of good taste, but are cynical and humiliating to our community."

Czech heroine honored for saving Jewish lives

PRAGUE (JTA) -- A 93-year-old Czech woman who saved several Jewish families from the Nazis was presented with a special award by Czech President Vaclav Havel.

Albina Wiesenbergerova, who received the award, also spent 15 years in prison for helping students involved in politics escape from the former Communist regime.