Deputy Defense Minister Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan (Jewish Home) harshly criticized Haaretz Tuesday, after television and film critic Rogel Alpher called a film shown in memory of terror victim Dafna Meir "racist."
"It seems that there's no limit to the lows Haaretz can reach," Ben-Dahan stated. "Haaretz stopped being Zionist a long time ago."
"As is typical of leftists, Rogel Alpher - instead of dealing with the unique character of Dafna Meir - threw around the usual leftist accusations, 'racism' and 'occupation," he added. A Palestinian teenager stabbed Meir, a mother of six, to death in Othniel in January, in front of her children. "Dafna Meir was an icon for the Jewish people, and she will continue to be."
Alpher blasted an article Natan Meir wrote, in which he and Dafna said that they wished their tombstones only to be made by Jews.
"This statement was accepted in the heart of primetime on Channel 10 as legitimate and understood," Alpher fumed in the Haaretz piece. "It's really just a typical offhand remark from a settler."
"Where does it stand on the scale of racism compared to [Jewish Home MK Bezalel] Smotrich?" he added. "Is this more, or less racist than only wanting to give birth alongside Jews?"
"The news headline regarding Dafna's murder is 'Dafna's Sacrifice - G-d sent a Palestinian youth age 14 to kill Dafna Meir, a sacrifice for G-d himself," he continued. "For Natan Meir, these are facts."
"The impression is that her murder strengthened his faith in God. I am looking for something in common with Natan Meir, and I can't find it."