Bill defining anti-haredi hate as racism passes preliminary reading – Israel Politics

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A bill expanding the definition of racism to include specific reference to the ultra-Orthodox community was approved by the Knesset in a preliminary reading on Wednesday.

The law is said to be an amendment to the penal code and was proposed by Yaakov Asher MKs and Moshe Gafni of Yaakov Asher, with an attached proposal by MK Israel Eichler.

The bill is expected to be sent to the Knesset Committee for discussion, having been backed by 54 Knesset members against 34 votes against the bill.

In explaining the proposed bill, the authors warned of the “expanding phenomenon” of racist incitement against the haredi population and its entrenchment in society at large.

“Especially serious are cases in which incitement is carried out by elected officials with the aim of dividing the people and thereby reaping political gain while undermining an entire community and the unity of the people,” the draft says. of law.

The new chairman of the KNESSET Finance Committee, Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism, introduces an anti-economic bill that challenges the capitalist zeal of new Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. (Credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)Criminal law does not apply, says state’s attorney’s office

The authors further explain that following such a case of incitement by an elected official, a complaint was filed with the public prosecutor’s office.

In the response from the prosecutor’s office, it was explained that the criminal law did not apply to this case, since incitement to racism against haredi people could not be prosecuted as a crime because “the provisions of the law define as racism only those cases in which the racism is due to the color of the skin or to belonging to a national race or ethnic origin.”

Since the ultra-Orthodox community cannot be defined by any of these categories but rather by their dress and lifestyle, the law did not apply to the case, according to the prosecutor’s office.

The bill’s authors concluded by saying they were concerned that the prosecutor’s office’s response would further encourage such cases of incitement against haredi society, as it would now be clear there would be no consequences. legal.

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