The two leaders of the right and left wings parties in the Petach Tikva municipality published a joint condemnation on Sunday of the incident where a protester removed the head covering of Petah Tikva city council member Hagit Telem.
"Precisely in these times, when our sons and daughters are being held captive in the tunnels of Gaza, our soldiers on the front lines and the Middle East is once again rising up against us to annihilate us, especially now on the eve of the Hebrew month of Av, the days of suffering, when we remember what terrible the price we paid for baseless hatred, we must know how to respect and value each other, even if others hold opposite views from our own," the two wrote.
They added that "even if we are disturbed by an opposing opinion, it is strictly forbidden for any of us to raise a hand against a brother or sister, in any way or manner. We also do not always agree with each other, both concerning local matters and national matters, but we always know how to talk with mutual respect and bridge our disputes, even when we agree to disagree."
"We call on all residents of the city to behave with mutual respect, to behave properly towards one another, to learn from the lessons of the past and to accept the other's right to express a different opinion. This is the time for peace between us," they concluded.
During the protest held yesterday near the Kfar Ganim mall in Petach Tikva, councilwoman Telem walked by the area and one of the protesters removed her head covering and insulted her. The protester who removed the head covering was wearing a shirt of the "Hofshi B’artzenu" protest movement.
Later Telem filed a complaint with the police.
This morning the police arrested the woman who was filmed removing Telem's head covering. The police said that she was arrested on the order of the Central District Commander Superintendent Avi Biton to "convey a clear message condemning this type of violence, which endangers the foundations and security of society."
MK Tally Gotliv (Likud) responded: "Who are you? An evil woman who pulls a woman's head covering aggressively? Remember stories of cutting sideburns and beards? Remember those gruesome and humiliating pictures? This is the height of humiliation tonight, here in the State of Israel. A heartless anarchist rips the head covering off a woman's head. I was horrified and shocked. How far will the hateful extreme leftists go?"
Representatives of the Yehudit organization responded, saying that "Every citizen should be shocked by this despicable act. It is an unprecedented and humiliating act against Hagit's Jewish identity. Every woman in Israel has the right to walk fearlessly with a head covering without being harmed.”
"At the Handmaid's Tale parade, they told you about the violation of women's rights. Remember how easily they took to violence and hatred to remove the head covering of someone who was just walking down the street in Israel. We will do everything we can to prevent such an incident in the future."
The lobby for haredi and religious women stated: "Removing the head covering of a religious woman in the middle of the street is an unprecedentedly serious act that harms both the woman's body and dignity in the public space. This is a shocking antisemitic act, which has no place in any civilized society in the world. This act is a direct result of the dangerous incitement that is being waged against the haredi and religious public in Israel. In these times, especially in the days before Tisha B'av, all sectors of the Israeli society are expected to show baseless love, tolerance and acceptance of the other, and not hatred, physical harm and violence."