A couple of days ago a female soldier was attacked by an angry mob, chasing her, throwing stones and other objects at her and preventing her from boarding a bus. Another terrorist attack in Jerusalem or the West bank? A terrorist attack maybe, but not by Palestinians. The attack took place in the center of Beit Shemesh, an Israeli city and the attackers were Haredim. The only sin of the female soldier was that she decided to serve her country, unlike the mob of whom nobody (including the men) bothered to serve.
Moreover, this is far from an isolated incident of Haredi violence. Violence against women, violence against drivers on Bar Ilan Road in Jerusalem, violence against police, violence and destruction of property at demonstrations, the Haredim appear to resort to violence whenever something is said or done that is not to their liking, doesn’t fit their beliefs, or affects their lifestyle. And, the Haredi community being very close knit and strictly controlled by its leaders, apparently the rabbis agree to the violence and maybe even instigate it.
The Haredi community has every right to live their lives as they see fit. Study Torah all day and every day, not allowing their children to receive a proper education, to be subservient to their rabbis and in many cases not even recognize the establishment of the Israeli State.
But, they cannot prevent others from doing the same, living their lives as they see fit, even if it doesn’t conform with the rules of the Haredim. Even if it goes against their beliefs and rules.
The violence that occurs when Haredim decide something is not to their liking should be responded to in a much more decisive manner by the authorities. It cannot be that when a mob of hundreds of Haredim attacks a female soldier, only two people are arrested. And you may wonder what will be done even with these two perpetrators.
The Haredim have always played a major role in Israeli politics and have often been the decisive factor in decisions regarding further religious restrictions on the general public, and have often used their position to blackmail whoever was trying to set up a government.
But political blackmail is one thing, violence is another. And while the army brass and the police as well as many politicians condemned the latest attack, it is unlikely that anything constructive will be done to reign in the Haredim. Not on a political level and not on the street.
The world has been witness to the horrors committed against women in Iran just for not wearing a Hijab or not wearing it properly, and while we are still a way off from such a situation, the attack against the soldier was done for exactly the same reasons as the attack (and killing) of Mahsa Amini. Should we wait and do nothing until the Ultra-Orthodox parties manage to pass laws in the Knesset for the establishment of a “Modesty Police”?
And it is clear that, as Orna Barbivai (Israeli minister of Economics and former head of the Army Manpower branch) said: “there should be no reason to warn Israeli soldiers to avoid certain areas in Israel while in uniform”. She and her colleagues in government better start making sure that that simple declaration remains true.
In the meantime, suggesting that female soldiers avoid certain areas is scandalous but may save lives.
I hope you found this article interesting and I welcome any comments you may have.
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