Jewish Home party activists in Jerusalem
Jewish Home party activists in Jerusalemיח"צ

Volunteers for Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home), who were posting signs in Sacher Park in Jerusalem, were attacked by what they said was an individual they said was dressed in garb associated with hareidi Jews. The individual stabbed one of them, lightly injuring him.

The volunteers saw the man tearing down the posters they had just hung up. Upon observing this, they went over to him and asked him why he was doing this. In response, the man removed a sharp object from his pocket, and lashed out at the closest volunteer, scratching him. The volunteers then ran away, and alerted police.

One of the activists remained behind, however, and the stabber set upon him, beating him. Police arrived about ten minutes later, and took the victim's complaint. Bayit Yehudi representatives took the victim to a nearby doctor for a medical examination.

The attack comes on the background of sharp criticism in the hareidi media against Bayit Yehudi head Naftali Bennett for supporting efforts by Yesh Atid's Yair Lapid to draft hareidi youth into the IDF, and to cut government budget funds for hareidi institutions. Bayit Yehudi candidates are running for the Jerusalem city council in elections that take place next month.

Dov Kalmanovich, the party's Jerusalem chapter chairman, said that “we condemn any use of violence. Jerusalem is a city of many groups and communities, and everyone needs to oppose violence. It is shameful that just a day after Yom Kippur such a hateful act by radical elements could take place. I do not believe that the stabber represents his community. We expect a fair and open election campaign without violence, as would be expected in a democratic society,” he said.