Yahadut MK Moshe Gafne, who heads the Knesset Finance Committee, has turned to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein and Central Election Committee Chairman Justice Elyakim Rubinstein demanding legal action. Gafne is angered over the use of the word “bloodsucker” in the description of the chareidi tzibur in a non-frum publication.
“The newspaper publishes and advert encouraging readers to vote centrist/left, adding the chareidim are sucking our blood.” He feels this is incitement against a sector of the population and an affront to a respectable community at large.
Gafne warns that “we are witnessing a campaign of hate and lies,” which he fears may lead to attacks against chareidim. He calls on the attorney general to file charges against those responsible.
In his response to MK Gafne, Justice Rubinstein expresses his disgust with the wording of the advert and the use of the word “bloodsucker” in reference to chareidim. He explains that while one may argue with a way of life but that does not justify utilizing a vilifying lexicon which carries painful historical connotations.
AG Weinstein has not yet responded at the time of this report.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
really and what happens when we express ourselves against toeva do they not respond harshly? i guess freedom of speech was only meant for those who are against Torah
…and bring klegal action against Chareidim who use the label apikoras against the modern, against yeshiva Rabbanim who declare “there’s no sduch thing as mezonos rolls, against right wingers who fail to bentch the Medina…sinas chinum to the winds…let’s go after anyome who disagrees with us passionately. Oy, such is the state of Yiddishkeit.
#1
Bloodsuckers is utilized by many israelis on haredis, calling the haredis blood suckers. Toeva on the other hand is a biblical term, describing an action rather than a person! (ie, haredis are bloodsuckers, as opposed to, certain people practice stuff considered a toeva by the bible.) Soo the comparison is wrong.
Tis as if the clock has been reset to just after Churban Bayit Sheni. Will Jews focus on fixing Sinas Chinam or focus on themselves, their narrow interests or the needs of the Klall? Who realisticly thinks that the AG, who has been rubber stamping initiavites of the left, will prosecute those using such epitaphs? Seems implausible to me.