Education minister verbally attacked at Mercaz Harav yeshiva

Education Minister Yuli Tamir was forced to leave the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem Sunday afternoon after being verbally attacked by dozens of youths who were waiting for her outside the seminary.

The minister was on a condolence visit to the yeshiva following Thursday's terror attack, which left eight students killed.

"The atmosphere at the seminary was restrained, but the mob that gathered outside greeted me with harsh chants, including 'murderer.'

"This reminded me of the days before (former Prime Minister Yitzhak) Rabin's murder. It's unfortunate that that there is a public which cannot put limits form itself. I only came to pay my respect to the murdered, not to engage in politics," Tamir told Ynet.

During her visit to the yeshiva, Tamir met with the students and teachers and spoke to them about what happened Thursday evening.

The minister asked the students why they attended the studies Sunday morning, and they replied, "We are connected to the nation as a whole and receive the Torah from it. Here in the yeshiva there is a force of love of the land, and even if we are hit, we love the people and are ready to suffer for it."

Some of the students told Tamir that they felt the government was not doing enough to fight terror.

The yeshiva's education director, Rabbi David Simhon, told Ynet that the conversation was held in a pleasant atmosphere and in a dignified manner. Rabbi Yerachmiel Weiss, head of the yeshiva high school, met with the students Sunday morning to boost their morale.

Earlier Sunday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke of Thursday's murderous attack and eulogized its victims.