JTA
JERUSALEM
One victim in Thursday’s stabbings was in critical condition and two were in serious condition.
The alleged assailant — Yishai Schlissel, a haredi Orthodox man from Modiin Ilit in the West Bank — is in custody. He reportedly used a kitchen knife.
Schlissel was released from prison two weeks ago for the previous attack, according to the Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance. Upon his release, he reportedly distributed pamphlets that called on “all Jews faithful to God” to risk “beatings and imprisonment” in order to stop the parade, according to Haaretz.
The injured were treated on the scene before being evacuated to local hospitals.
Thousands participated in the 14th annual Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance, which went through the center of the city. The parade continued after the violence, with hundreds of police and Border Police officers placed along the route to protect the marchers.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among the Israeli leaders to condemn the attack. He was joined by President Reuven Rivlin and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat.
Netanyahu said in a statement: “In the state of Israel the individual’s freedom of choice is one of basic values. We must ensure that in Israel, every man and woman lives in security in any way they choose. That’s how we acted in the past and how we’ll continue to act. I wish the wounded a speedy recovery.”
Rivlin made his remarks at a public event on Thursday night.
“People celebrating their freedom and expressing their identity were viciously stabbed. We must not be deluded; a lack of tolerance will lead us to disaster,” he said.
Barkat in a statement said: “In Jerusalem, there is a place for everyone and together with the Israeli Police we will continue to target anyone who violently attempts to hurt others. We will continue to staunchly support all of Jerusalem’s communities and groups.”
Naftali Bennett, head of the right-wing Jewish Home party, called the stabbing a “moral crime that cannot be forgiven,” Haaretz reported.
Zehava Gal-On, head of the left-wing Meretz party, in a Facebook post called on Netanyahu to “stop the public atmosphere that makes possible the shedding of blood among Jerusalem’s pride (gay) community.”
Israel’s chief rabbis and the head of the Sephardic Orthodox Shas party also condemned the attack.
Denis Solomons
Jul 31, 2015 at 9:07 am
‘Arn’t the Haredi Orthodox community homophobic ! ?
\nThe question that must be asked is; if this man stabbed three marchers in 2005 , why was he allowed anywhere near the Gay parade in Jerusalem .’
Choni
Jul 31, 2015 at 11:02 am
‘Yishai is Pinchas.’
Chaim
Jul 31, 2015 at 12:59 pm
‘Choni you are one sick puppy.’
Gary Selikow
Aug 2, 2015 at 2:36 pm
‘http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/198930#.Vb4o0bs8i1I
Schlissel murdered an innocent 17 year old girl, Anyone who supports him is as evil as Hamas
If you support the killing of 17 year old Israeli girls you should not be let anywhere near Israel Choni, you now cut out by me’
Gary Selikow
Aug 2, 2015 at 2:52 pm
‘Yishai Shlisse kills Jewish kids just like Hamas does’
Dov
Aug 2, 2015 at 3:54 pm
‘Choni – He is no Pinchas but rather a lunatic and now a murderer who should be locked away for the rest of his miserable life.’
Choni
Aug 3, 2015 at 9:42 am
‘….But Pinchas, son of Elazar saw what happened and remembered the law. He stood from among the congregation and, taking a spear in his hand, he went into the tent after the Israelite man and pierced the spear through both of them- the Israelite man and the woman-right through her lower abdomen. The plague the ceased from the children of Israel\” (Num 25; 7-8).
Even though almost the entire congregation wanted to stone Pinchas to death for this act of ‘murder’, God rewarded him with eternal priesthood.
I was merely trying to find a portion in the Torah relating to the similarity of the tragic events in Jerusalem and the times of Israel in the desert when many Jews were publically committing forbidden sexual acts.
‘
Dov
Aug 3, 2015 at 12:23 pm
‘Choni – was the 16 year old girl \”publically committing forbidden sexual acts\”? Were any of the people at the parade doing so? Not in the slightest. There is nothing similar between this tragic episode and what happened in the desert.
‘
Darren Sevitz
Aug 4, 2015 at 9:06 am
‘Choni, you have gone too far – and for you that’s saying something.’
Josh
Aug 4, 2015 at 10:32 am
‘What we have here people is a mistaken belief by Choni here that what he is saying the right thing. See what has happened Choni is that hate and ignorance have invaded your consciousness, and that hate is telling you that you have things that are worth saying. This hate is lying to you.
I am not saying you are a person without value. You too are one of G-ds special creatures and you too have beautiful things inside of you. But if you are going to spew rhetoric, archaic religious texts and hypocrisy then please keep quiet.
If you have ever:
Had a rounded haircut, worn or used anything that has pig skin on it, worn Polyester, or any other fabric blends, gotten a divorce, worn gold, grown different types of vegetables together.
Then you sir are a hypocrite. Please do not attempt to rationalize your personal hatreds of homosexual people because they are flawed, bigoted and against G-ds children which is essentially going against G-d.
Remember how we treat the vulnerable in our society is a reflection on us as a species. This does not only apply to animals but people too.
Why would G-d create people as flawed, and bless them with free will only to damn them later for using it. It does not make sense.
If you cannot sympathize or feel something for G-ds creatures when they are hurt, injured or demonized then there is something intrinsically wrong there.
‘
Gary Selikow
Aug 4, 2015 at 5:27 pm
‘Schlissle kills Israeli kids-he is the same as Hamas, He also doesnt recognize the State of Israel which makes him a traitor!’
Choni
Aug 5, 2015 at 7:05 am
‘Josh, It is your prerogative to attack me, but do not dare to attack our holy Torah.’
Josh
Aug 5, 2015 at 7:59 am
‘I never attacked the holy Torah, What I attacked was a person who has clearly misinterpreted G-ds words. And by the way Choni that is a very progressive stance to take. Get angry when someone criticizes something you hold dear. Let me tell you what I hold dear because make no mistake Choni I am no social justice warrior. I am a social justice Monster.
When gay men and lesbians and transgender people are being beaten to death, demonized and held out as what is wrong with the world I am horrified.
When Children are going hungry I am outraged.
When black people are shot in the back by police the very people they are supposed to trust I am furious and when the men and women of our country are being denied equality and responsible healthcare I am beyond words.
I do my part, I give charity. I help my fellow man and yes I pray. What I do not do Choni is walk around using Religion as a weapon to hurt G-ds children or justify the murder and injuries committed by a lunatic as some Religious good works.
You sir are whats wrong with the world, not the Torah, Not G-d and not Religion but people like you who choose to spew nasty rhetoric ill disguised as religion and then you have the cheek to stand and act sanctimonious and outraged. How I dare I? No sir How dare you! No way my friend. And no one on this comment page seems to like your way of thinking It is not just me. ‘
Melamed
Aug 5, 2015 at 11:52 am
‘Choni you do the holy Torah a disservice when you claim to stand up for it’s honour, but are a bitter bigot – not a great ambassador for the holy Torah. I agree Josh is off point as well.’
Gary Selikow
Aug 5, 2015 at 1:19 pm
‘Choni, how do you get off using the Torah to justify the murder of 16 year old girls???? How sick is that!!!!’
Choni
Aug 5, 2015 at 2:22 pm
‘\”Archaic religious texts\”
Josh, These are the words you used regarding the Torah!’
Gary Selikow
Aug 6, 2015 at 11:37 am
‘Choni you have no right to set yourself up as champion of the Holy Torah when you ignore the injunction of Do not murder and praise that disgusting creature Schlissel’
Josh
Aug 6, 2015 at 12:45 pm
‘Choni the fact that the only thing you took out of all I said were 3 words shows me what a twit you are.
I will not continue to argue with a fanatic because it is like playing chess with a pigeon. You can be the best player in the world the pigeon will still jump on the board, knock off all the pieces and strut around triumphantly afterwords. ‘