Arabs rioting last week in Jerusalem
Arabs rioting last week in JerusalemJamal Awad/Flash90

The ongoing Guardian of the Walls operation against Hamas assets in the Gaza region has, unlike previous operations, seen extensive support for the terrorist organization within Israel’s borders among the Arab-Israeli community, with extreme violence breaking out in mixed cities such as Lod, Ramle, and Akko.

Now a new and disturbing development has emerged – that of Arab-Israelis taking to social media to express their support for Hamas and their desire to show solidarity with their “Palestinian brothers.” Many of these Arabs work for Jewish-Israeli employers who are being forced to reassess the situation in light of this development.

On Tuesday, a general strike has been called for the Arab sector, protesting Israel’s ongoing military operation against Gaza, and many Arab employees working within Israel have informed their employers that they will not be turning up to work.

Up until this point, Jewish employers have shown a measure of tolerance for the divided loyalties of their workers, but with more and more expressing open support for Hamas, employees are being summoned to disciplinary hearings pending dismissal.

In one instance, an Arab employee informed his employer that he would not be coming to work on Tuesday due to the strike in the Arab sector. His employer wrote back that the management had decided that any employee absent from work due to the strike would be called to a disciplinary hearing and would lose his job.

Arutz Sheva has learned of a protest by employees of the Clalit health fund, asking the health fund’s management to dismiss any employee who takes part in the general strike and thereby displays his support for Hamas.

A few days ago, Hadassah hospital announced that it had terminated the employment of an ancillary worker, after the worker posted a picture of a swastika with the words “Palestinian Nazi” on his Instagram account. Hadassah’s management initially turned to the agency that had supplied the worker, asking it to tell the employee not to return to work until the matter was clarified; eventually, the worker was fired, with the hospital stating that, “We do not tolerate any use of offensive or racist expressions and will take action against any employee who uses them.”

In Shaare Zedek Medical Center, a female Arab nurse posted in her Instagram account support for Arab rioters who had attacked Jews in Jerusalem, writing, “Allah should give you a clear victory; Allah should turn this day into one of conquest and rejoicing for those who believe in your victory.”

In response, the hospital announced that, “In Shaare Zedek, employees of all races and religious work side-by-side with devotion to treat our patients. We believe this is the correct path to take, and this specific instance is being investigated and the employee in question is invited to clarify her position.”