The stabbing attack perpetrated during the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade in the capital on Thursday, 14 Menachem Av, resulted in widespread condemnations from all walks of Israeli society.
Channel 2 TV News reported on Thursday night, a short time following the attack, that rabbonim and persons in the chareidi community were contacted for a statement, and Channel 2 made a point of reporting that without exception, all the persons contacted condemned the attack in no uncertain terms. The report added that the lifesaving role played by chareidim is evident as horrified Israelis watched the scene of the bloody attack and saw Ichud Hatzalah and Zaka volunteers responding to assist the wounded.
Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita:
One of the first to release a condemnatory response was Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita, who stated, “The status of the stabber in the streets of Yerushalayim is that of a murderer, and even worse. No person has the right to raise a hand against a Jewish soul, and in the name of religion yet. I daven from the depth of my heat for the recuperation of the injured and in the face of this hated I call on Am Yisrael to respond with achdus, pleasantness and tolerance”.
Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau Shlita:
Toras Yisrael prohibits all acts of violence and injuring others and how much more so when one injuries another and tries to kill him”.
Jerusalem Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar Shlita:
Our Torah says דרכיה דרכי נועם וכל נתיבותיה שלום’ and the criminal act committed by a single individual is not the Jewish way. I hereby condemn any manifestation of verbal violence and all the more so when we try to attack another”.
The rav warned, “Chalila that one dares to lift a hand against another, taking the law into one’s own hands – resulting in a Chilul Hashem. There are acceptable means of protest in Jewish law that include all the necessary precautions”.
President Reuven Rivlin:
Speaking at the celebration marking 30 years of the Israeli Opera, President Reuven Rivlin began by saying “We came together today for a festive event, but the joy was shattered when a terrible hate crime occurred here in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.
“People celebrating their freedom and expressing their identity were viciously stabbed. We must not be deluded, a lack of tolerance will lead us to disaster. We cannot allow such crimes, and we must condemn those who commit and support them. I wish the injured a full and speedy recovery.”
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu:
“A despicable hate crime was committed this evening in Jerusalem. In Israel everyone, including the gay community, has the right to live in peace, and we will defend that right. I welcome the Israeli religious leadership’s condemnation of this terrible crime, and I call on all those in positions of leadership to denounce this contemptible act. In the name of all of Israelis, I wish the wounded a full and speedy recovery.”
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein:
This is a shameful act that must be condemned outright. Our social rifts are widening and as such and these acts lead us to the brink of the abyss. It is our responsibility to permit one another freedom of expression and never to use violence. I call on the legal authorities to prosecute the perpetrator to the fullest extent permitted under the law.
Shas party leader Minister Aryeh Deri
יור ש”ס דרעי: אני מגנה בתוקף את ארוע הדקירה.
יש לגנות ולהוקיע כל גילוי של אלימות וצריך לנהל מלחמת חורמה כנגד כל מי שנוהג באלימות נגד כל אדם באשר הוא אדם.
Opposition leader MK Yitzchak Herzog:
The stabbing attack at the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade was a heinous hate crime. We must condemn this and punish the person who committed the act. I call on the police to allow the continuation of such events and not to surrender to the enemy of all that is good and beautiful in Israel. This is a struggle of principle and it is important for the image of the country. I stand behind the marchers and pray for the quick recovery of the injured.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat:
The heinous act that occurred tonight in Yerushalayim is an attempt to harm the fabric of life in the city and to prevent the fundamental right of freedom of expression. We will not accept an excuse for violence of any kind. In Jerusalem, there is room for everyone and we will continue to fight with Israel Police against all using violence to harm another. We will continue lending support to all groups and kehillos in Jerusalem and we will not be deterred by unacceptable means seeking to prevent this.
Kulanu party head Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon:
This is a hate crime which how no place in our Israeli democratic society. The time has come for severe punishment without compromise. It is out obligation as a society to permit every person to live his life according to his beliefs.
Lehava head Bentzion Gupstein:
We are opposed to stabbing Jews. We came to protest against the to’eva march for we believe such an event has no place in Jerusalem. We are dealing with a provocation that inflames the atmosphere and we are calling on Israel Police not to permit this event again in Jerusalem.
Kiryat Malachi police on erev Shabbos arrested someone in the Lachish district who used Facebook to post his approval of the attack, applauding the injuring of members of the gay community.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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14 Responses
With utmost respect To the Raboniom Shlita
WHERE IS THE CONDEMNATION OF THIS DESPICABLE PARADE On admas kodesh platrun shel Melech malchei hamlochim Hakodosh Boruch HU. Veharats taki es yoshveah
News sites all over the world are reporting that YWN’s use of the expression Toevah Parade shows that an Ultra-orthodox website called for and justified yestersday’s attack.
Moderators Note: The man is a murderer. Clearly a mentally deranged person and should be jailed for life. The police should be held responsible – releasing him 3 weeks before the same type of parade. They should have watched him. The TORAH uses the word “Toeiva”…..
In other news….. Which “news sites all over the world” are saying this?
The rabbis quoted in the story are all Chief Rabbis and other Israeli government employees. It quotes no mainstream rabbonim who don’t work for the government.
YWN: You say “Clearly a mentally deranged person and should be jailed for life.” Please do not contribute to the prejudice against people with mental illness. He should not be jailed for life. He may need to be kept away from the public in a secure mental health institution and receive treatment here, but mentally ill people do not deserve to be in jail, they deserve to be treated.
Moderators Note: He very likely has the din a murderer, and murderers need to be jailed for life. Would YOU want armed murderers roaming YOUR streets?
Did a thorough web search.
All I found was one brief mention of ywn’s coverage of this, in the Forward
“The TORAH uses the word “Toeiva”…..”
I for one would not be reading this website if they didn’t take this point of view
Yasher Koach
To the Mods
As you know many news sties just copy articles from other news sites , so the NY Times Article was likely copied to other news sites as well
JComment #1:
Exactly. You hit the nail on the head.
With all due respect, I don’t yet see any serious Rabbonim “condemning” the attack. All of the above mentioned, are politicians. Although I would expect the Agudah, OU, RCA, etc…to start a new apology tour. I guess they are just waiting to see who is “responsible” for the burning of the Arab home before they go forward. Maybe they can kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
It’s their job to issue a condemnation. Period. Bringing up the issue of the parade, even slightly, would backfire.
Attempting to use weapons to fight our enemies, be they the gays (and other secular Jews) or the Arabs, is a very dumb idea. The world is full of goyim and frei Jews, and is not full of frum Jews. And frankly, most frum Jews prefer learning Torah and taking care of our families to goinjg off to going around shooting, burning and stabbing people.
When Ha-Shem wants us to start fighting people, He’ll lets us know and provide the necessary nes..
Granted this guy is a murderer, but the statements from the Ra-banim employees of the zionist entity “No person has the right to raise a hand against a Jewish soul” and “Toras Yisrael prohibits all acts of violence ” leaves no room for legitimate kanoyis, and would also make Pinchas a murderer.
This is the real chillul hashem of the mayseh; unfortunately many identify the zionist entity and its employees with yiddishkeit, and as such can be left with the impression there is no disticntion between authentic kanayos and deranged activity.
In case u haven’t heard glat-kup kanayos is not a recommend Torah Behavior.
These people walking in a parade are not doing any act publicly, which is what Pinchas acted about.
They are supporting an act which has severe punishment from the Torah for PERFORMANCE of the act, not support of it.
It was a huge mistake by the police(if that was what it was) to not supervise this criminal.
It is also a very bad double standard when they prohibit Jews from praying on the Temple Mount because they are afraid of incitement, while they permit the assembly for this parade which is certain incitement.
The only reason there is not more violence is because of the great restraint of religious Jews(and other traditional people), which is to be commended.
The Police should take into consideration the feelings of the majority of residents before permitting this parade again.
There is no such thing as legitimate kanous anymore. One needs PURE 100% kanoys lesheim shomayim so stop comparing this nutcase to pinchos