Israel Beit Shemesh Protests Continue

Thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets over the past two days to protest ultra-orthodox calls for stricter forms of gender segregation. On Tuesday, a large rally took place near a girls' school in Beit Shemesh, the city that has become the focus point of the debate on the position of women in Israel's public sphere. On Wednesday, protests continued as female demonstrators rallied in Tel Aviv shouting slogans such as "This isn't Iran."

Tuesday's rally centered around the school of a modern-orthodox girl, Naama Margolese, who explained on television that she was scared to walk to school for fear of being bullied by ultra-orthodox men for not being dressed modestly enough. Margolese is 8-years-old and attends a religious school.

"When I walk to school in the morning I used to get a tummy ache because I was so scared ... that they were going to stand and start yelling and spitting... They were scary. They don't want us to go to the school," she told the Associated Press.

Spates of violence have erupted in Beit Shemesh in the past few days. Several reporters have been attacked while covering the protests in the neighborhood. Two film crews were attacked and a policeman was lightly injured, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Haaretz reports that Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence and said that the country will act against anyone who harasses women in public.

Comments

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

09:13 PM on 01/23/2012

I just get so sick of reading about different countries that have men treating women like the GOP does here.

[kjmayberg]

08:53 PM on 01/23/2012

This is a tiny settlement of Israelis on the fringe of society. It's sensationalistic journalism that's making if seem like this type of behavior is pervasive in Israel. I'm sure you can fine groups similar to the one here in almost every society.

[Nwo2012]

10:49 PM on 01/23/2012

Every time a story comes out of israel that makes it looks bad, this excuse is rolled out to defend it.

Its happening a lot lately. Its wearing a bit thin.

[NorthAmericanPatriot]

06:24 PM on 01/23/2012

FREE PALESTINE!

GIVE BACK THE STOLEN LAND!

FREE THE POLITICAL PRISONERS!

[noiz001]

09:34 PM on 01/17/2012

Wow! HP is really getting deep into the weeds of Israeli society. Why read Israel HaYom, or the Jerusalem Post or Arutz Sheva when you can get the news from Israel right here. Maybe tomorrow there will be one of several positive stories out of Israel.

[notmisaacm]

09:23 AM on 01/18/2012

Doubtful. This is, after all, the Huff Post. Editorial policy prohibits positive articles about Israel.

[Nwo2012]

10:08 AM on 01/18/2012

Maybe israel just sucks

[Darren Christman]

08:37 PM on 01/17/2012

Funny, the USA media always seems to portray Israel as this perfect oasis paradise of democracy and a bastion of Judaic wonder and harmony. Clearly sexism, homophobia, racism and all sorts of other rancor occur in Judaism at the same rate and regularty as in Christianity and Islam. Too bad most of the press in the USA covers that fact up

[JacksonJones]

05:23 PM on 01/18/2012

Erm....where do you see Israel being portrayed in the US media as this perfect oasis paradise of democracy and a bastion of Judaic wonder and harmony?

What I see more often by far are complaints that it isn't perfect written as though failing to be perfect were equivalent to being malevolent.

[Errant]

05:40 PM on 01/23/2012

A lot of places, actually, and by plenty of people in these comments. It's the fascination with the plight of the jews and/or fear of the word "antisemetism".

[rltor45]

11:51 AM on 01/12/2012

THIS IS AN ISRAELI PROBLEMS, WHY DON'T WE STICK TO THAT TOPIC, INSTEAD OF INCLUDING MUSLIMS COUNTRIES HERE, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MUSLIMS, ITS ABOUT JEWISH PEOPLE !!

[cosmiczulu]

08:50 PM on 01/17/2012

perhaps it is important to understand an entire area when criticizing only one group. Don't you think it's prejudice to only judge the Jewish group with out including the Arabs in Israel and in the disputed territories?

[SaneUSA]

09:08 PM on 01/17/2012

Writing something false in all caps, doesn't make it true.

[Wood Gas]

12:16 PM on 12/31/2011

Apparently, Sharia law is contagious, coming soon to a nation near you.

Difficult times breed nazis. It happened in the US during the 30's, it's happening here and in England now. People who are worried seek strong leaders, guys who will "get things done", unfortunately sociopaths present the most convincing facade of "saint and general". Gimme that ol' time religion and stern Big Daddy, we can fix it. Or, at least jail the ones complaining about it, no complaints, it's fixed.

[OnLesAura]

10:08 PM on 01/23/2012

You're so right Wood Gas ... strong-armed scoundrels (to put it mildly) have often seen their opportunity throughout history, and seized the chance when any power vacuum appeared, or times were turbulent and uncertain and threatening. Religious extremism was often a major factor in some way, perhaps in most cases, and continues to rear its ever-ugly head today in many spots. Also happening in France; I have personnaly chatted with French Jews who had relocated to the US for safety, in the wake of rising threats and personal physical attacks in France; many had survived Nazi occupation, 1940-44. They felt a new Kristallnacht wasn't an impossibility. In democratic, ferociously secular, republican FRANCE. That was a major eye-opener. As the continent sinks, the thugs have emerged all over. But in the larger picture, the enormous grievance and discontent in Israel seems to be rapidly widening socio-economic inequality. That said, I totally support the Israeli ladies who came out demonstrating with "this isn't Iran" Touchee ! Israel is a homeland for all Jews, the ultra-orthodox to secular; all have rights, and as long as their right to worship isn't infringed, which it certainly isn't, the Orthodox have no right to harrass anyone displaying legal behavior in public, in a diverse, democratic, highly pluralistic, and deliciously scrappy society - not least young children.

btw, if you'd like a great (and chilling) read about a fascist USA, I highly recommend "It Can't Happen here", by SInclair Lewis (1936)

[dim]

07:15 PM on 12/30/2011

They are much too civilised for a real intrafada. Jews like to argue loudly, not kill.

[lilipilicious]

08:37 PM on 12/30/2011

apparently you have never visited the territory they stole and occupied and what they do to its population.

[nycpaladin]

07:35 PM on 12/30/2011

Spoken like a troo Jenno_cydal may knee ack.

[lilipilicious]

08:39 PM on 12/30/2011

it is interesting that you should say that, given that this has been Israel's policy towards Palestinians whose land they stole since day one.

[notmisaacm]

11:15 AM on 12/30/2011

Egypt religious fanatics are taking their new found power seriously. One party is unleashing a Sharia-enforcing 'police' unit on the populace. I doubt that this is why the Egyptian people fought Mubarak, but in addition to the military hijacking the revolution, the religious fanatics are flexing their muscles too.

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/573361

[tuco60]

05:40 PM on 12/30/2011

What's it to you?

[dim]

07:16 PM on 12/30/2011

What's it to you?

[notmisaacm]

07:45 PM on 12/30/2011

Perhaps you are unfamiliar with the comment sections here at the Huff Post. People discuss things, we don't try to sound like refugees from a New Jersey Public High School.

[The JillyBean]

12:18 AM on 01/01/2012

What does some other religions social laws have to do with an article about fanatic jews? Focus Lenny, Focus! Discuss the topic at hand. Deflecting and projecting only makes it obvious that you wish to not discuss this quite real problem. It's dishonest.

[Boduognat]

10:14 AM on 01/01/2012

"Deflecting and projecting only makes it obvious that you wish to not discuss this quite real problem. It's dishonest."

No, it's not.

It's called "Hasbara".

[notmisaacm]

05:18 PM on 01/01/2012

Sorry, I guess you are too narrow to make the connection between the two topics.

[Teacher 15]

04:17 AM on 12/30/2011

Flagged

[Cream Rises to the top]

06:59 PM on 12/29/2011

Extreme fanaticism exists in all religions.

[dim]

07:16 PM on 12/30/2011

If you are not fanatical about your religion, you ain't doin' it right. :)

[rltor45]

11:47 AM on 01/12/2012

i agree with you !

[Shaun West]

06:21 PM on 12/29/2011

Condemning a whole religious sect for the action of a couple of bullies doesn't seem just to me. Jews have been stabbed and abused for merely going into Arab Israeli towns or even the just for walking through the Arab quarter in Jerusalem. Where are the protests for that?

Every country has minorities. Sometimes crimes are perpetrated by those minorities. That doesn't justify the demonizing of those minorities.

[lilipilicious]

07:02 PM on 12/29/2011

Arabs have been stabbed and abused for merely going into Israeli Arab towns or even the just for walking through the Israel quarter in Jerusalem

[Shaun West]

07:52 PM on 12/29/2011

Really? That's before or after they rammed bulldozers in crowded Israeli streets?
Can you name a specific incident?

[noiz001]

09:27 PM on 01/17/2012

Seriously, can you send the link to one of those stabings in Jerusalem where and Arab was stabbed just for walking through the Jewish area.

[darthmaul]

12:48 AM on 12/30/2011

Why is it that whenever there is criticism of Israel of any kind, that someone always says, "Yes, but the Arabs-Palestinians are much worse, they did ___________. What's even worse in this case, is that Palestinians are not even relevant in this story. This is an Israeli-Israeli issue. You could have just as well said, "The Chinese have done such and such to Tibet." It makes about as much sense.

[Shaun West]

01:30 AM on 12/30/2011

So I thought my point was quite clear - the chariedi (utra-Orthodox) "problem" is non existent. People criticize them because they can't put scantily clad posters up in religious neighborhoods -meanwhile you can't walk into an Arab Israeli town with a yarmulka, much less put a raunchy billboard. The Israeli media - and by extension the world media - has made a big deal about the minimal ultra Orthodox issue and complete ignored the a much bigger issue merely to be politically correctness. An individual incident with a girl being abused is terrible. But does it deserve international attention? If you think it does, doesn't it bother that Jews are stabbed and abused in Arab Israeli towns much more often and yet that never reaches your ears?

[esq1128]

05:31 PM on 12/29/2011

Since the U.S.A. supports Isreal no matter what. Are we going to hear any condemnation of any of this or are they just going to sweep it under the rug similar to when we find Isreal spies spying on the U.S.?

[dim]

07:18 PM on 12/30/2011

Huh? Why should Israel be condemned for standing up to religious fanatics?

[The JillyBean]

12:28 AM on 01/01/2012

I think they were getting at why the US is not officially condemning the fringe orthodox sect. Of course it's not escalated to a level where it is appropriate for the US to make official comment.

[The JillyBean]

12:26 AM on 01/01/2012

At this point it's an internal matter of a fringe group. Whereas the Taliban made a national policy of oppressing women, preventing them from holding jobs, creating dress codes, etc. If it became a national Israeli policy then it would be something that the Secretary of State or the President would be obliged to address with a formal condemnation.

Even in the US we have groups like the Amish and even the nutty sect of Mormons who wear those weird clothes, so it's not something to get over excited about. We're not perfect either.

[Rodger leMonde]

01:17 PM on 12/29/2011

Bullying eight year old girls, based on imagined religious superiority is not a way to gain respect for your convictions.

[Shaun West]

06:22 PM on 12/29/2011

And demonizing a whole religious sect for the actions of a couple of bullies doesn't seem just either.

[HeliosOne]

06:47 PM on 12/29/2011

And how was the OP demonizing that sect?

[Rodger leMonde]

06:55 PM on 12/29/2011

If the bullys bring dishonor, that suggests that the sect should speak out against them.

[lilipilicious]

07:04 PM on 12/29/2011

the garbage spewed in religion in general is not a way to gain respect for your convictions...

[Teacher 15]

04:50 AM on 12/30/2011

What a ridiculous, disrespectful sentence, especially because it's uttered now, during a season of religious importance to millions.

Another charmer from the "human rights" worker.