A woman by the name of Keren Naim is reportedly the latest victim of chareidi violence on a public bus. She report she was harassed and assaulted on a bus as she headed to Tzfas for work. She told Channel 10 News that she travels on the number seven bus regularly, but this time, “It appears my sleeveless tee-shirt was deemed offensive by a chareidi woman”, who she explains began to assault her verbally. The incident occurred on Thursday, 6 Cheshvan 5774 at about 14:00.

Keren details that the bus was filled with many young school children, about 14-year-old youths and a few elderly passengers. Only one elderly lady with a Russian accent tried to intercede on her behalf. She stressed the bus driver remained silent. As the verbal assault escalated, she turned to the driver who she explains clearly did not plan to become involved.

The chareidi passenger who was shouting insults then hit her in the face, knocking off her glasses. This was followed by numerous slaps to the face. Keren says when it became clear the driver was not going to act as the law requires, she called police who told her to instruct the driver to stop the bus and wait for a patrol car. She adds the driver stopped briefly and but began driving before police arrived. She phoned police again but nothing happened until the woman who attacked her reached her stop.

Kerem explains the driver followed her off, shouted at her for a moment, and then got back on the bus and resumed his route.

She told news anchor Rafi Reshef that she leaves all her options open regarding possible legal action against the attacker, the bus company and the driver.

When interviewed by Channel 10, three days after the reported attack, her face showed signs of trauma in the place she reports to have been struck, under her right eye.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)