Naftali Bennett Attacked By Haredim At Western Wall
Naftali Bennett
Naftali Bennett Attacked By Haredim At Western Wall
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
The chairman of the right wing Zionist Orthodox HaBayit HaYehudi political party Naftali Bennett was attacked by a haredi mob at the Kotel, Western Wall, earlier today as he attempted to pray, Arutz Sheva reported.
When Bennett arrived he was greeted by more than 100 well-wishers and supporters. But as he began to pray, haredim began pushing Bennett and screaming at him, causing supporters of Bennett to rush to defend him, almost causing a riot.
Haredim screamed "take off your kippa, you are not Jewish," "garbage," and slurs Israeli news websites refused to print at Bennett, apparently because his party wants haredim who are not studying in yeshiva to serve in the military or do national service .
Bennett personal security officers held off the haredim.
After the attack, Bennett went to the nearby office of Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rabbi of the Kotel for what is said to have been a planned visit.
During his regular Saturday night public lecture, the founder and spiritual leader of the Sefardi haredi Shas political party Rabbi Ovadia Yosef criticized Bennett and HaBayit HaYehudi, calling the right wing Zionist Orthodox party a party of “goyyim.”
“[They’re] non-religious. They come to uproot the Torah. Those who elect them deny the Torah, this is the Jewish Home? This is the Jewish Home of the goyyim [gentiles].They come to promote civil marriage, to promote public transportation on Shabbat, these are religious people? You cannot call them religious, you must not vote for them," Yosef said.
The attack also concides with a visit to Israel by the Williamsburg Satmar Rabbi Rebbe Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, who is trying to disrupt the Israeli national election scheduled to take place tomorrow. Teitelbaum is vehemently anti-Zionist, and spoke last night to a crowd of thousands of haredim urging them not to vote and railing against the Zionist state.
Police reportedly detained one haredi youth involved in today's attack. He allegedly shouted at Bennett, "You have some nerve! You want to draft our children to the army, mothers are crying at night!”
Bennett allegedly responded by saying, "I love you,” causing the haredi to retort, "Then leave me alone! let me study Torah! Don't force me to go to the army, you're inciting sin! Take your kipa off!"
Haredim screamed "take off your kippa, you are not Jewish," "garbage," and slurs Israeli news websites refused to print at Bennett, apparently because his party wants haredim who are not studying in yeshiva to serve in the military or do national service .
I wasn't there, but I've read enough over the past few weeks, and I keep myself quite informed, to know that haredim's issue with Benett has nothing to do with army service. It is only about allowing non-halakhic marriage in Israel.
In fact, many haredim were voting for Benett's party, until the last week when one of the candidates on his party list publically called for allowing non-halakhic marriages in Israel. Benett has been mum on the issue ever since.
Shmarya, why do you write "apparently because of army service" - do you have any inside info that is not publically available? Unless you do, the articles I've read appear to contradict you.
Posted by: Lubavitchers Are Christians | January 21, 2013 at 10:35 AM
Israel continues to trample on freedom of speech for the Palestinians -- particularly when it disagrees with them.
Yet this is when freedom of speech needs protection. Palestinians need no protection when Israel agrees with them as Israel has no need to shut them up then. Why would it?
Freedom of speech only comes into play when the government disagrees with us. At all other times it stays dormant.
Posted by: kafantaris | January 21, 2013 at 10:48 AM
>> attacked by Haredim at western wall
time for some more draft notices to go out!
Posted by: gopjew | January 21, 2013 at 11:16 AM
The Haredim must be colluding to get Bennet elected!
Posted by: MO | January 21, 2013 at 11:21 AM
Lets see a bunch of Arabs are arrested for throwing snowballs at Haredi men but Haredis riot at the Kotel and there is no mention of any arrests. Why am I not surprised. Imagine if you would that these were Arabs attacking Bennett, there would have been mass arrests and probably shooting of the protesters.
Posted by: jerryny | January 21, 2013 at 12:43 PM
Oh great! Now, in addition to chareidi trolls, we have "anti-Zionist" trolls. (They have every right to post here, and I have every right to give my opinion of them, too.)
Posted by: Yochanan Lavie | January 21, 2013 at 01:11 PM
What exactly Haredim attacking Bennet has to do with freedom of speech for Palestinians or Arabs?
Is it more likely that Kafantaris and jerryny believe that Bennet is Palestinian Arab or that they are complete idiots?
Posted by: Ben | January 21, 2013 at 01:58 PM
mothers are crying at night!”
just like what almost every mother does when their child is drafted
are they so brainwashed that they think other mothers do not care if their child get blown up in a war
Posted by: seymour | January 21, 2013 at 04:58 PM
there should be a simple solution in Israel. if one doesn't serve in the army one cannot vote. it will solve all issues overnight...all of a sudden serving will be encouraged by all of the clowns.
it actually pains me for a rabbi to call other yidden goyim it is so sick and ridiculous. these are rabbi's? or bigots?
Posted by: meir | January 21, 2013 at 06:20 PM
As a former Sayeret Matkal commando I reckon he can handle an attack by a few lousy haredim.
Posted by: Jack | January 22, 2013 at 06:29 PM