Breaking News from IRAC – Rabbi Yosef Elitzur, one of the authors of “Torat HaMelech” charged with racist incitement and violence.

For Immediate Release:
December 6, 2016
Jerusalem
 

Attorney General, Avichai Mandelblit, presses charges against Rabbi Yosef Elitzur, one of the authors of “Torat HaMelech”, for racist incitement and violence.

In response to the petition filed by the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) and Tag Meir, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit decided to press charges against Rabbi Yosef Elitzur for his publications that incite to violence this past Monday, December 5, 2016. These charges are based on his articles and the book ‘Torat Hamelech’, published in 2013, which encourage price tag activities. Elitzur’s publications preach that we must cause ‘greater damage to the body and possessions of Arabs’ and encourage young boys to take part in terrorist activities such as setting churches and mosques on fire.

The decision to prosecute Elitzur is rare, since the prosecution and conviction of Rabbi Ido Elba in 1995 only four rabbis have been prosecuted. The decision to press charges against Rabbi Elitzur comes after IRAC’s 2015 Supreme Court petition demanding the Attorney General make a decision to press charges against Elitzur after a 4-year investigation into his activities and publications.

Orly Erez-Likhovski, head of IRAC’s legal department, said that “the decision to prosecute Rabbi Elitzur, who for years has preached racism and violence, is the right decision, even if it is very late. Rabbi Elitzur voiced and published many inflammatory words that influenced his students, many of who have been involved in terrorist activities against Arabs. Only aggressive treatment of the serious phenomenon of incitement will make it so rabbis cease to use their status to preach hatred and hostility. These days, when racist incitement and violence is a daily occurrence, we must relearn that ‘humans are precious for they were created in God’s image.’”

For further information contact
Steven Beck
+972 58 7399539
www.irac.org

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