Shas MK Yitzchak Guetta told Kol Chai Radio host Mordechai Lavi that he is outraged over the response to an insulting Facebook post by MK (Bayit Yehudi) Betzalel Smotrich.

Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) movie critic Gidi Ohr-Shar was attacked for what is interpreted as a derogatory social media post against Sephardim. He was suspended pending a probe into his post.

Smotrich however, was not counted among the politicians that blasted Ohsher, but preferred to justify his statements, explaining, “This is exactly what freedom of speech is about”.

Guetta explained that “If a person would speak out against settlers, blame them for all that is wrong with the nation, Smotrich would have gone ballistic and in this case, Smotrich’s response is worrisome and troublesome. “There are three ministers in the party, none Sephardim and this points to the racism that exists in the party”.

Shar later spoke with Moti Lavi of Kol Chai Radio and apologized again, insisting he is far from having any disdain for Sephardim, stating he wrote on social media that he was attacked unfairly and his blood was spilt, and he apologizes again from the depth of his heart.

Gidi was quick to add “You will not make me a racist for I am not. However, there is a group, a small group, that acts the way it does and this is a fact”, referring to MKs of the Shas party. “I have nothing personal against anyone, those in or out of the party but my issue is with their actions, those who take advantage of the pain of a sector of society and live off of their pain”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)