A Meretz party activist in the city of Netanya looted tefillin this morning (Tuesday) fromA booth belonging to Chabad activists - and they looted it In a disgraceful manner.
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Those present were deeply shocked by the act of humiliation and begged him not to do it. They were then puzzled and asked him why he chose to commit the humiliating act.
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Yigal Rubin, who witnessed the shocking act, told Channel 7: "He snatched their tefillin and you saw where he put it. When he took it, I was afraid he would throw it on the floor. If there hadn't been a policewoman there, I think the crowd would have killed him.".
Upon receiving the report, the police detained a resident of the city in Netanya for questioning on suspicion of harming religious feelings. "Investigators at the Netanya police station opened an investigation into a suspected offense of harming religious feelings, when a 61-year-old man, a resident of Netanya, arrived at a tefillin-laying stand in the city located near a school where there are ballot boxes and vandalized them. At the end of the investigation, its findings will be submitted for review and the claims will be decided accordingly," the police said.
Meretz said: Meretz has appealed to the Elections Committee demanding that it exercise its full powers to investigate the incident in Netanya. The man is not known to any Meretz members and is apparently an impostor trying to harm the party. A complaint will also be filed with the police.
Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu responded: "I strongly condemn this shocking attack this morning by a left-wing activist against Israel's holy sites. It's time to tell them no.".
United Torah Judaism Chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf: "I am deeply shocked by the desecration of the holy tefillin by a Meretz activist at the Chabad tefillin stand in Netanya. This is a direct result of the wild incitement emanating from the Left Bloc led by Yvette Lieberman against the Haredi public. We have the power today to change the situation for the better, and to give an answer to the instigators at the ballot box.".
United Torah Judaism faction chairman MK Meir Porush: "The hatred and polarization of the Lapid-Abbas government is seeping into the field when a Meretz party activist approached a Chabad booth in Netanya and desecrated the holy tefillin in a horrific manner. Only United Torah Judaism, whose top concerns are religious issues, will ensure that respect for the religion and tradition of Israel is restored.".
MK Yaakov Tesler: "I am deeply shocked by the disgraceful behavior of a Meretz member in Netanya who publicly disrespected and dishonored the holy tefillin. Shame and disgrace will cover our faces, where we have come and how far the severe incitement against the religion and tradition of Israel reaches. Today, the answer to this horrific harassment is at the ballot box and with all its might.".
MK Michal Rozin of Meretz wrote on her Twitter account: "Let it be clear beyond any doubt, I condemn this despicable behavior, which is contrary to our worldview. We are investigating the incident. So far, no one in Meretz's field organization has identified the man, and there has even been a suspicion that he is an impostor. Upon completion of the investigation, we will file a complaint against him.".
Chabad, which organizes the tefillin stands near the polling stations, said following the incident in Netanya: "To our delight, since this morning thousands of Jews from across the political spectrum have rolled up their sleeves and put on tefillin. The incident in Netanya is very unfortunate, but we believe that tefillin belong to everyone, regardless of their political opinion.".
