Justice Minister Ya’acov Ne’eman was verbally assaulted at the Cave of the Patriarchs, Me’arat Hamachpela in Hevron Thursday morning.
The Minister frequents the cave for prayer monthly on Rosh Chodesh, the first day of the Jewish month, but came two days in advance since the coming Rosh Chodesh falls on the Sabbath.
Right-wing activists at the cave yelled “You should be ashamed of yourself, disgracing the Torah and offending rabbis.”
There have been calls on the right that claim that Ne’eman, as Justice Minister, bears responsibility for not preventing the recent arrest of Rabbi Dov Lior and for not disbanding the Shai Nitsan group in the Attorney General’s office that allegedly hounds Judea and Samaria Jewish residents.
Hevron activists Noam Federman, Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben-Gvir claimed that law enforcement is selective and that decisions are politically and ideologically motivated.
Ben-Gvir also reminded Ne’eman that left-wing activists who incite against the right wing are not summoned for interrogation, and are handled with kid gloves. “With right-wing activists the treatment is harsh and painful to the point of actual brutality,” he said.
Ben-Gvir added, “12-year-old girls are held for days, while Shai Nitzan (Assistant Attorney-General) and the prosecution close the files of Dana Olmert [Ehud Olmert’s daughter, ed.], who demonstrated against the IDF chief of staff and of college students who blocked roads.” He was referring to the arrests and incarceration without trial for weeks of young girls who protested the Gush Katif disengagement.
The Justice Minister did not respond to the shouts.
The rest of the worshippers left the prayer service, and Ne’eman was left alone. The shouting persisted until he left in his vehicle.