Following the confrontations surrounding the demolition of Beit Dreinoff in Beit El between residents and supporters and police, MK Dr. Ahmed Tibi tweeted a message to Justice Minister (Bayit Yehudi) Ayelet Shaked, cynically reminding her that the persons throwing stones at police should not be sentenced to prolonged prison terms in line with her new law, reminding her that they are “not Palestinians”.
Tibi was an outspoken opponent of the law, citing the law is only used when it comes to Arab rock-throwers and not Jews, selecting the last 24 hours of confrontations in Beit El to drive his message home.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Actually the government probably likes the idea of long sentences for violent protests for Arabs so they can use the same law against Jewish opponents of the regime.
Once again, I completely disagree with MK Tibi. The hooligans who were throwing stones at the police in Beit El should absolutely be prosecuted and sentenced for their actions. The fact that they appear to be ‘unzerin’ should have nothing to do with the matter.
THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE IF YOU ARE ON THE OFFENSIVE WITH INTENT TO HARM INNOCENT CIVILIANS – AS IS THE CASE WITH ARAB STONETHROWERS..THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN THESE SETTLETRS WHO ARE ON THE DEFENSIVE TRYING TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHT TO YISHUV ERETZ YISRAEL – AND THERE IS NO INTENTION BY THEM ON HARMING ANYONE—-JUST TO PROTECT THEIR HOMES!!!!!
I believe MK Ahmad Tibi is distorting the wording of the law to use it for his own propaganda to foreign media that are ignorant of the facts.
The long sentences were designated for stone throwing attacks against moving vehicles where there is a much greater likelihood of very serious injury, or death, as has occurred in many cases.
If they were to sentence every Arab that throws stones at police or the IDF to lengthy sentences, they would never find enough jail space for them all.
Nevertheless, any stone throwing is serious and could, G-d forbid, put out or injure an eye or, if a boulder or building block is used, as is done frequently by Arabs, then head or crushing injuries could occur.
These types of actions should result in equal punishment but they are NOT what the law addressed.