Violence on Israeli roadways has unfortunately become increasingly commonplace, but this case, which occurred last Thursday, is not a common occurrence Baruch Hashem.
A young avreich was walking with his wife and their three-week-old infant on the streets of Moshav Yesodot, located in Nachal Sorek. No one expected the tranquility of the evening and the surrounding area to be abruptly shattered as was the case.
It was about 8:00PM when the couple was walking in the direction of the grocery store. When they arrived at a crosswalk they saw a bus nearing them at high speed. The husband crossed the street hurriedly, but his wife was afraid, remaining on the opposite sidewalk with the baby.
After permitting passengers to get off the bus, the Afikim Company driver resumed his route as the avreich pounded on the door shouting “Slow down! Slow down – you almost killed us!” While the avreich most likely did not expect an apology, one can opine he did not expect the following response either.
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The driver stopped the bus and according to a BeChadrei Chareidim report and the victim’s father-in-law, “he attacked immediately”, referring to the driver of the bus, who got out and tackled the avreich to the ground. That was not all however, as the wife and passengers on board the bus watched in horror, seeing the driver repeatedly pounding his fist into the avreich’s face, wondering why the the driver responded as he did. Passengers shouted at the driver “leave him alone” and the father-in-law adds, “my daughter approached him and shouted, ‘leave my husband alone’. However, the assault continued until a passenger got off the bus and pulled the driver off the avreich”.
The driver then got back into his seat and attempted to drive off, as if nothing had occurred, leaving his wounded victim on the ground. The husband was treated in Kaplan Hospital and upon his release, he headed to the police station to file a complaint.
The driver was taken for questioning that same night, held in the Yavne police station. Afikim Bus Company officials condemned the driver’s actions. The bus company is quoted telling BeChadrei that “it appears there is justification for the complaint against the driver, who has been summoned for a hearing on Sunday before being fired”.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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15 Responses
Horrible! But if this happend in NYC or in any other state in America, everyone wld scream “antisemitism”! The problem is that it occurred in Israel and G d forbid u scream antisemitism, cuz ur deemed an Antisemite in in an instant.
Double standard hypocrisy. This driver, may he be a yid, is an antisemite anti Charedim. Yes , wake up to the smell of coffee. Israeli antisemites are rampant and shoved under the rug.
Was the bus driver Arab?
Tell us the “entire” story . Its obvious to most that this is not the entire story Thank u
so was the bus driver an Arab?
Bus driver should be fired. Buses shouldn’t be speeding through the streets of Yesodot. It is a quiet residential neighborhood.
pathetic that people just stood there and screamed at the driver–a MAN woulda smashed back of the driver’s head and neck until he either stopped punching or stopped breathing.
Why does it make a difference if an idiotic act of violence was committed by a yid or an Arab?? Its the action, not the perpetrator that makes it so dangerous and requires prosecution of the offender, whatever his ethnicity.
Afikim seems to have a reputation…
what’s about the bus that did not stop to pick up passengers
last week..
I don’t agree with someone hanging on to the bus like that,
But, I would say the drivers, should have more sense than that…
Israelis will always be Israelis.
I hope a Yeshiva World will publish my comments.
First, At the crosswalk, the “ Yungerman” should have WAITED until all the traffic passed to cross. If a Fast Bus is approaching, it was Wrong of him to run across, as I so have seen guys do countless times in Israel, running across the street in front of buses- this is dangerous.
Second, it was Wrong of the Yungerman to Beat on the Bus Door And Shout At the Busdriver! How dare he! It’s bad enough Bochrim have been Beating on Buses at Protests, this Violent aggressive behavior is NOT HOW BOCHRIM BEHAVED in previous generations. Bochrim NEVER SHOUTED IN STREETS, never Banged on Buses. If he thought The Bus was going too fast then he should never have crossed the street in front of it. The Driver sees a Bochum Banging on the Bus And Screaming through the glass. That is an attack. If someone Banged in YOUR CAR WINDOW and screamed At you, that’s an attack.
When I was younger, Yeshiva Bochrim had the Most Sterling Traits Both innthe Bais Medrash And On the Streets, Gentle, Soft Spoken, Ehrlich, Respectful.
why does everyone assume that the driver was arab, the secular unfortunately have an even more vile hatred of chareidim. amei haaretz sonim l’talmidei chachomim.
To those who say there must be more to the story, YOU ARE PART OF THE VIOLENCE!
To those who say there must be more to the story YOU ARE PART OF THE VIOLENCE! why do you assume that theres more to the story? do you think an enraged speeding driver isnt capable of taking someone banging on his bus door as provocation? or do you think that people who are provoked always react with accountability? i’m honestly puzzled at your assumption.
Leahleh, your points are valid ones. But that is still not an excuse for beating someone, especially in such a vicious fashion.
The wife was right. Never run in front of a speeding bus, even at a cross walk. Never bang on the doors of a bus unless there’s a life-threatening situation. The husband, once he did cross, however, should have written down the license plate # and called the police, bus company – not that it would necessarily made a difference. The driver should be fired and prosecuted criminally,Arab or Yid – no justification for this kind of behavior. Road rage, I guess, not antisemitism.
Afikim is gaining quite the reputation for thoughtless and violent drivers. B”H we are now in a place that Afikim does not serve.
So, if I’m driving in Boro Park and nearly get hit by an obviously frum Jew who runs a stop sign while he’s on the phone ( happened ) apparently I can justifiably slam his window and scream at him ( didn’t happen ).