Netanyahu, Peres slam lynching

ISRAELI Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply condemned last week’s attack by Jewish teens on an Arab youth in Jerusalem, saying that the country’s abhorrence to such acts – as witnessed by the way the country’s leaders and others have strongly come out against it – sets Israel apart from other countries in its neighbourhood.

The attack took place just after midnight on Thursday night in Zion Square. Eyewitnesses said approximately two dozen Jewish teenagers surrounded an Arab youth, Jamal Julani, 17, and began beating him, continuing to kick him even after he fell unconscious to the ground.

“The State of Israel is a democratic state, an enlightened state, a state where when we come across acts such as these, the entire state and all of its leaders come out together against such phenomena, and we will continue to do so,” Netanyahu said. “That is what makes us unique in the environment around us and this will continue to make us unique. I hope that one day our environment will change as well. But we will be persistent in our complete opposition to racism and violence.”

Netanyahu’s comments came at a ceremony where he signed a document encouraging the integration of Ethiopian immigrants and against discrimination and racism.

“We are not prepared to tolerate racism in Israel,” Netanyahu said. “Neither are we prepared to tolerate the combination of racism and violence.”

The PM, who said he spoke with Hadassah Medical Organisation director general Ehud Kokia to inquire about the victim of the attack, said that such acts were “something that we cannot accept – not as Jews, not as Israelis. This is not our way; this goes against our way, and we condemn it in word and deed. We will quickly bring to justice those responsible for this reprehensible incident.”

This was the second incident of violence against Arabs that Netanyahu has sharply condemned this week. His office issued three different statements since the fire bomb attack on a Palestinian taxi in Gush Etzion on Thursday last week, noting Netanyahu’s condemnation of that attack.

President Shimon Peres also addressed the Jerusalem attack on Tuesday, expressing shame and anger during a visit to the Muslim town of Majd ek Karum in the northern Galilee.

Peres, who in the past has condemned those who strike out at Jews for no reason other than the fact that they are Jews, this time had to deal with a role reversal.

“I am full of shame and outrage at what we witnessed over the weekend in Jerusalem. Jamal Julani was beaten up for no reason other than because he is an Arab. This is an intolerable incident of violence that we must uproot from our midst,” Peres declared. “The perpetrators must be brought to justice and every effort must be made to bring Arab and Jewish youth together.”

In reaction to the recent spate of racially motivated violence, Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar instructed teachers to discuss the incident on the first day of the new school year next Sunday.

Speaking at a conference in Jerusalem to prepare for the new school year, Sa’ar said the event is “very serious, in terms of both violence and racism”.

“The large number of teens who participated in the event adds to my concern,” he said. “The education system must have a say and clearly and sharply discuss values in relation to this issue.”

An Education Ministry spokesman said neither a specific set of points nor a text was given to teachers, but they are expected to bring up the topics of violence and racism in class, and hold a discussion with their students in general studies, rather than teach it in the context of history or civics.

Eight Jewish teenagers have been arrested for the attack thus far. The youngest is 13 years old. One 19-year-old Jerusalem resident arrested on Saturday afternoon was remanded on Sunday at the Jerusalem Magistrates Court. Police created a special investigative team to deal with the incident and expect additional arrests in the coming days.

Julani’s situation improved on Sunday and he is no longer unconscious nor connected to a respirator, according to a spokesperson for the Hadassah University Medical Centre. He is awake and responsive and was moved out of the intensive care unit to a regular floor, she added.

HERB KEINON, GREER FAY CASHMAN and LAHAV HARKOV

THE JERUSALEM POST