President Peres urges Israelis to protest against religious extremism

[News_Editor]

President Peres urges Israelis to protest against religious extremism

2011-12-28 08:24:04 GMT+7 (ICT)

TEL AVIV (BNO NEWS) -- Israeli President Shimon Peres on Tuesday called on Israelis to attend a demonstration against the discrimination of women and religious fanaticism, following two days of rioting by ultra-Orthodox extremists in a city near Jerusalem.

"Today's demonstration is a test for the nation and not just for the police. All of us - religious, secular and traditional - must defend the image of the State of Israel against a minority that violates the national solidarity and expresses itself in infuriating fashion," Peres said while addressing the Foreign Ministry conference of Israeli ambassadors.

On Tuesday, thousands of Israelis gathered in Beit Shemesh, a city southwest of Jerusalem, to protest gender segregation and violence against girls and women by religious extremists, the Haaretz newspaper reported. Protesters also supported student Na'ama Margolese, an 8-year-old American immigrant who became a focal point after Channel 2 news broadcast a story Friday night showing her facing a daily gauntlet of abuse from extremists as she walks to school.

Violence erupted in Beit Shemesh on Sunday as ultra-Orthodox men clashed with police officers and attacked two television news crews. At least six people were arrested or detained for questioning.

On Monday morning, dozens of ultra-Orthodox men surrounded police officers and municipal inspectors who were attempting to remove a sign ordering men and women to use separate sidewalks. A few hours later, new clashes were reported after another television crew was attacked. Police officers sealed off the street and found themselves facing around 300 extremists who threw rocks at them and set dumpsters on fire.

President Peres condemned the attacks, saying that nobody in Israel has the right to threaten women. He also said that he appreciates the ultra-orthodox leaders who have condemned the violence.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-12-28

[Scott]

An inflammatory post has been removed.

[Steely Dan]

... and I've not even posted yet. Of course I wholeheartedly agree with president Peres, hopefully Israel always remains secular as it puts some controls on this sort of behaviour, though I note that nobody has been murdered or maimed at all, unlike what often happens elsewhere in the region.

[Ulysses G.]

Agreed.

[MrMuddle]

"Protesters also supported student Na'ama Margolese, an 8-year-old American immigrant who became a focal point after Channel 2 news broadcast a story Friday night showing her facing a daily gauntlet of abuse from extremists as she walks to school."

According to the BBC, this child was subject to abuse because of her "immodest dress".

It seems to me, that any man who can look at an eight year old girl, and accuse her of that, needs to take a long, hard, look at himself, because there are definitely some unnatural thoughts going on in his head.

“In October, her mother told the BBC the children were facing daily abuse which was giving them nightmares.

"Whenever she hears a noise she asks, 'are they there, are they out there?'," said Hadassah Margoleese.

Other women have reported similar incidents in the town of 100,000, some 18 miles (30km) south-west of Jerusalem.”

What kind of people do this ? Frightening children on their way to and from school. This is child abuse, plain and simple, no matter which religion is doing it.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not know of ANY religion, where females are treated as equals, which tells me everything I need to know about them.

Maybe it's time for all religious nutters, from all 'faiths" to be put together on an island somewhere, to fight it out amongst themselves, and let the rest of us live in the "peace" that they are all supposedly seeking.

Here's the link, if anyone needs more information :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16342327

[Jingthing]

...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not know of ANY religion, where females are treated as equals, which tells me everything I need to know about them.

...

I'm all over this one!

If you consider scientology a religion, then that is a religion where the sexes are totally equal.

Agree with your general sentiment, fundamentalism of any faith is usually toxic.

Edited December 28, 2011 by Jingthing

[Pakboong]

It wasn't that long ago that American women were not allowed to vote. Do we question the wisdom of the founding fathers who wrote the constitution or go with the flow and accept this as evolutionary and in keeping with the natural order of all things? I have never read that the reason for excluding women was religious.

Spitting on a young girl is to me, simply a serious crime and should be punished as such.

I do agree with JT in that fundamental religions in general set the stage for a toxic outcome.

[MrMuddle]

...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not know of ANY religion, where females are treated as equals, which tells me everything I need to know about them.

...

I'm all over this one!

If you consider scientology a religion, then that is a religion where the sexes are totally equal.

Agree with your general sentiment, fundamentalism of any faith is usually toxic.

i was given a book several years ago, by a "helpful' scientologist neighbour.

Although I didn't read much of it, ( it was recycling day - too good an opportunity to miss), I always thought that I'd read that it did not profess to be a religion as such, yet a quick "google", states that Scientology does indeed have an explanation of "God".

Personally, I'd file Scientology in the section "places for nutters the rest rejects", along with the Moonies, Children of God, and others too numerous to mention, but apparently Scientologists do, indeed, consider themselves a religion.

As for the sexes being totally equal in Scientology, I really wouldn't know, nor to be honest would I want to !

Fundamental - the clue is in the third and fourth syllables.

[Riely]

Funny how similar extremists of the Abrahamic religions are. When you take Abrahamic religions to seriously and start pushing your beliefs off on others, only problems can result.

And as for a religion that treats men and women equally, Wicca. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca

[geriatrickid]

I counsel the security forces to use live fire. The founding principles of the State of Israel are at stake and this cult of zealots poses a threat to the security of the nation.

[Jingthing]

Fundamentalist religious zealots using religion to justify their hateful actions and beliefs are unpopular. So what else is new?

[geriatrickid]

Fundamentalist religious zealots using religion to justify their hateful actions and beliefs are unpopular. So what else is new?

israel has a right to defend itself against fifth columnists and insurgents. These extremists wish to overthrow the duly elected government of the nation. They must be crushed.

[BookMan]

All fundamentalists of any religion are dangerous. Peres's call to arms against extremism will just fuel their self belief even more. It's a no win situation.

[Steely Dan]

All fundamentalists of any religion are dangerous. Peres's call to arms against extremism will just fuel their self belief even more. It's a no win situation.

Is it my imagination or is religious fundamentalism in all it's ugly manifestations on the rise over the last few years?

I know it's sort of off topic, but this is priceless.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/12/2011122903512593882.html

Edited December 29, 2011 by Steely Dan

[Jingthing]

This video hints that this issue coming into focus now may be a good thing in the long run. The 90 percent of Israelis who are NOT these religious fanatics are saying enough is enough.

http://www.washingto...ELMP_video.html

Edited December 29, 2011 by Jingthing

[BookMan]

I gave that video a watch. The 90% majority might be saying 'enough is enough', but the ultra orthodox won't care. They believe their interpretation of the law is correct. I would be surprised if many of the ultra orthodox gave two hoots about mainstream postulating and thoughts re: them and their actions. The Torah rules everything....

[Jingthing]

I gave that video a watch. The 90% majority might be saying 'enough is enough', but the ultra orthodox won't care. They believe their interpretation of the law is correct. I would be surprised if many of the ultra orthodox gave two hoots about mainstream postulating and thoughts re: them and their actions. The Torah rules everything....

Yes, I agree hard core fundamentalists don't change. But people are loudly protesting against their overstepping of power, and that surely is a good thing. Nothing against tolerance of people having the free will to observe even crazy religious practices, but in public society, such as on public streets, they shouldn't have power, except in theocracies. Israel has become too much of a theocracy and now there is a big backlash. That is good.

[BookMan]

I gave that video a watch. The 90% majority might be saying 'enough is enough', but the ultra orthodox won't care. They believe their interpretation of the law is correct. I would be surprised if many of the ultra orthodox gave two hoots about mainstream postulating and thoughts re: them and their actions. The Torah rules everything....

Yes, I agree hard core fundamentalists don't change. But people are loudly protesting against their overstepping of power, and that surely is a good thing. Nothing against tolerance of people having the free will to observe even crazy religious practices, but in public society, such as on public streets, they shouldn't have power, except in theocracies. Israel has become too much of a theocracy and now there is a big backlash. That is good.

That's a good point. The fundamentalists might not care, but other Israeli's are protesting against the fundamentalists. Often people gripe and groan against religious and far right groups, but generally there isn't public protests.

In this case the Ultra Orthodox Jews will most likely get part of what they want; which is to keep non Ultra Orthodox Jews out of their area. A lot of families , if they have the choice, wouldn't want to live near such antagonism. Might be hard to sell their homes though.

[Jingthing]

They have grabbed a LOT more power than just what happens in their neighborhoods. For example, my understanding is the more religious types have even taken over their immigration department (making it harder for secular Jews to do Aliyah). Also changing Israeli family law towards their beliefs. They also have messed with the army by making long term Torah study pay more than doing national military service, in other words, setting themselves up as a special, privileged class.

Edited December 30, 2011 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

More on the internal culture wars in Israel:

Israel is now in the middle of a culture war, maybe even a war over religion, as part of its long way to shaping its society and creating its identity…. At the end we’ll find out if we have a secular or religious society here; democratic, theocratic or fascist; Western or other.

http://www.slate.com...r_a_whore_.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/telnaes

Edited December 30, 2011 by Jingthing

[DP25]

I counsel the security forces to use live fire. The founding principles of the State of Israel are at stake and this cult of zealots poses a threat to the security of the nation.

You're amazing

[Jingthing]

I counsel the security forces to use live fire. The founding principles of the State of Israel are at stake and this cult of zealots poses a threat to the security of the nation.

You're amazing

Seems a tad bit of an overreaction for calling flesh exposed women whores.

[Steely Dan]

I think Israel has far more pressing existential threats to worry about than some zealots resembling ZZ Top on a tour of 19th century Russia.

[Jingthing]

I think Israel has far more pressing existential threats to worry about than some zealots resembling ZZ Top on a tour of 19th century Russia.

Of course they do. But these religious extremists DO have too much power so for people who want to save Israel, as I do, it would be better if Israel isn't a Jewish Iran.

[Steely Dan]

Ok, we are all against religious intolerance, however the strange juxtaposition of an unflattering photo of a religious zealot on the BBC main news page and the far less prominent coverage of 40 Christians blown to pieces on Christmas eve in Nigeria alerted me to the fact something stank. Well here it is.

http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2011/12/soros-latest-israel-project.html

If you have been seeing coverage of gender segregation issues in Israel then you may not be aware that you are actually seeing another Soros project in motion. The name of the game, as usual, is divide and conquer. Soros funded NGO's embed themselves into a society and leverage its weakness to create confrontations that empower its activists and agendas.

[Nasreddin]

I think Israel has far more pressing existential threats to worry about than some zealots resembling ZZ Top on a tour of 19th century Russia.

I see, old school antisemitism is still alive and kicking.

[Jingthing]

I think Israel has far more pressing existential threats to worry about than some zealots resembling ZZ Top on a tour of 19th century Russia.

I see, old school antisemitism is still alive and kicking.

Oy vey, what are you on about? Steely Dan is right, that's what they look like. If you are going to dress is such quaint threads, you're fair game.

[Nasreddin]

They have their own culture, are different and not assimilated to the western/christian culture. I don't think that makes them to "fair game". If you are the tolerant and open minded person why care about they way the wear their hats and do their hair? thats the typical othering and where the hate begins.

Yes, they are Jews. and they look like as if they were right out of a Yiddish Shtetl somewhere in Eastern Europe. or these Shtetl that were once in Eastern Europe. We know what happen to them.

israel has a right to defend itself against fifth columnists and insurgents. These extremists wish to overthrow the duly elected government of the nation. They must be crushed.

[lannarebirth]

I counsel the security forces to use live fire. The founding principles of the State of Israel are at stake and this cult of zealots poses a threat to the security of the nation.

So, zealot insurrectionists that pose a threat to Israel = Bad and deserving of "live fire". But zealot insurrectionists that pose a threat to the founding principles of the Kingdom of Thailand = Good , freedom fighters, and deserving of confered parliamentary positions.

[Jingthing]

They have their own culture, are different and not assimilated to the western/christian culture. I don't think that makes them to "fair game". If you are the tolerant and open minded person why care about they way the wear their hats and do their hair? thats the typical othering and where the hate begins.

Yes, they are Jews. and they look like as if they were right out of a Yiddish Shtetl somewhere in Eastern Europe. or these Shtetl that were once in Eastern Europe. We know what happen to them.

israel has a right to defend itself against fifth columnists and insurgents. These extremists wish to overthrow the duly elected government of the nation. They must be crushed.

Oh, Mary, please don't be meschuge. I meant fair game for a little teasing in fun about their funny outfits, not fair game for gassing.

Next ...

Edited January 1, 2012 by Jingthing