Israeli Minister of Culture and Sport Miki Zohar (Likud) launched an accusatory attack against the members of the opposition during a Knesset plenary session on Wednesday, claiming that the rampant anti-haredi incitement has "authorized their deaths" and led to the killing of 14-year-old Yosef Eisental at an anti-conscription rally.
"Your incitement against the haredi public is what led to this tragedy. You have permitted the blood of the haredi public. Shame on you," Zohar accused the opposition.
"Daily, you present them as the enemy of the nation. Calm down. They are valuable, important, and beneficial to Israeli society. Stop attacking them from morning to night until you turn them into an enemy."
Zohar added: "You authorized their deaths so that a driver allows himself to drive at a crazy speed into a protester and to kill a boy. So think what you're saying. Every word has meaning. Be responsible for what you say."
An initial investigation indicates that after the ramming, the bus driver continued driving for about 500 meters while the teenager, Yosef Eisental, was trapped beneath the bus. The driver was arrested for questioning and claimed he attempted to flee after protesters blocked his path.
Yosef Eisenthal, 14, was a student at Ohel Torah Yeshiva and lived in the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem. His father, Rabbi Shmuel Eisental, serves as a rabbinic instructor at the yeshiva where the boy studied. His grandfather is Rabbi Uriel Eisenthal, the rabbi of the Ramot G neighborhood.