Prime Minister Netanyahu
צילום: חיים צח, לע"מ
Netanyahu comes out in defense of religious-Zionist sector
In the wake of 'Wedding of Hate,' prime minister stresses guests seen in the video celebrating murder of Ali Dawabsheh belong to a marginal extremist group which 'certainly does not represent religious-Zionism.'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came out in defense of the religious-Zionist sector on Sunday in the wake of a video from the wedding of a right-wing couple showing guests celebrating the murder of Ali Dawabsheh, who was burned alive in an arson attack on his home in Duma five months ago.
"I thought it important to make it clear how much this extremist group, in my view both extremist and fringe, certainly does not represent religious Zionism," Netanyahu said.
The prime minister said he screened the video to the ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting. "To try and link religious Zionism to this group does a very great injustice to a dear public that is loyal to the state, contributes to the state and contributes to the IDF, including to its most outstanding units," he said, pointing to comments made by religious-Zionist leaders against the video.
Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photo: Flash90) (צילום: יונתן זינדל / פלאש90)
The video in question was first aired by Channel 10, and shows guests at the wedding stabbing a photo of baby Ali Dawabsheh, as well as dancing with guns, knives, and Molotov cocktails to a song quoting Judges 16:28, "O God, that I may be this once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes."
Lawyers of the suspects arrested in connection with the attack claim that the video had been leaked to the press by the defense establishment in an effort to divert public attention from allegations of torture of their clients by the Shin Bet.
"The Shin Bet, including all of its branches, is doing very important work here," Netanyahu stressed. "It is acting according to law, under legal oversight. It is acting in accordance with the government's policy of fighting terrorism of any kind, and this is what we are doing. We are not prepared to accept terrorism from any quarter."
The 'wedding of hatred'
Meanwhile, Israel's law enforcement authorities are examining the possibility of investigating some rabbis and other religious figures from the religious-Zionist sector on suspicion of incitement to violence.
"Rabbis do not have immunity. If a direct connection can be proven between rabbinical incitement and terror activity, we will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute," a senior law enforcement official said over the weekend.
There are several such rabbis who are affiliated with the "hilltop youth" and are considered the "spiritual fathers" of so-called "price tag" perpetrators. The most prominent of them are Rabbi Dov Lior, Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira, Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Daniel Stavsky.
Rabbi Daniel Stavsky accusing Shin Bet of collaborating with Arabs to murder Dawabsheh family.
Rabbi Stavsky, who participated in the radical right-wing wedding, was recently filmed condemning the Shin Bet and accusing its agents of collaborating with Arabs to murder the Dawabsheh family.
"It is known that all the acts they seek to attribute to Jews were committed by Arabs," Rabbi Stavsky declares in the footage obtained by Ynet on Friday. "And the agent provocateurs in the Shin Bet's anti-Jewish department did it to frame them."
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon rejected Rabbi Stavsky's claims, saying, "Unfortunately, this was done by those who consider themselves Jews. I suggest examining several rabbis whose words of incitement and sermons lead irresponsible youth to take action."
