Jewish extremists react to crackdown with death threats
Jewish extremists have reacted to a security crackdown on them by issuing death threats against politicians and human rights groups.
Israeli president Reuven Rivlin had to beef up his security this week after telling crowds that the country was being engulfed by “flames of hatred”. He added that he was “shamed” that the killers came from “my own people”.
READ MORE:
Get The Jewish News Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up
- ANALYSIS: The ever-simmering Israeli-Palestinian conflict is again threatening to boil over
- OPINION – SIR ERIC PICKLES: Israel’s leaders must do more to root out the extremists from its society
- Israel begins fightback against home-grown extremism
In a show of passion rarely seen by Israeli statesmen, he likened Jewish extremists to “weeds threatening the safety of the entire garden”.
Death threats and posters soon began appearing on social media, with one saying that he would “come to a worse end than Ariel Sharon”.
Elsewhere, human rights group New Israel Fund filed a police complaint after receiving death threats. One letter called the NIF “traitors with not a drop of Jewish blood” and “Nazi dogs,” adding: “I’ll organise a small massacre for you.” Another read: “You should all be murdered.” In another, an employee’s name and address was written, alongside the words: “You’ve been warned.”
The group has appealed to Israel’s new justice minister Ayelet Shaked, of the far-right Jewish Home party, who drew outrage last year when she appeared to brand all Palestinians enemy combatants and legitimate targets.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
-
By Brigit Grant
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)