Shameful attack on Chareidi soldier in Meah Shearim by Chareidim - Rav Edelstein condems attack

Update Matzav: Rav Edelstein said that he is shocked that a chareidi soldier was attacked in Meah Shearim and that those who committed this act have “caused great damage to the world of Torah.”
“It is incumbent upon the people of the Eidah Hachareidus to condemn the attack on the soldier,” said Rav Edelstein.


Times of Israel   The soldier assaulted in Jerusalem’s Mea Shearim neighborhood on Tuesday stepped into the lion’s den of anti-establishment ultra-Orthodoxy: a street dominated by the anti-Zionist Neturei Karta sect. 

While politicians, army officials and others, many from the ultra-Orthodox community, have come out against the attack, residents of the neighborhood voiced little condemnation on Wednesday.

The soldier was attacked by dozens of ultra-Orthodox men Tuesday night while walking through the central Jerusalem neighborhood. His attackers beat him and threw oil, water and eggs at him before he managed to escape by ducking into an office, changing out of his uniform, and calling the police.

Officers and medics called to the scene were pelted with stones by residents, who called them Nazis. Four men were arrested for allegedly participating in the assault.[...]

Army officials, however, were unequivocal in their condemnations of the attack.

IDF head Benny Gantz called the incident “very severe,” and said he would deal with it using all the methods at his disposal.

“IDF soldiers carry out their mission not on behalf of shtreimels or yarmulkes or whoever doesn’t wear them, but for all Israeli citizens.”

IDF Spokesman Yoav Mordechai called on ultra-Orthodox leaders to issue an unequivocal condemnation of harassment of IDF soldiers.

“I’m trying to think what would happen if soldiers were attacked by Israeli non-Jews in the Negev or Galilee,” Mordechai said.

The attack was also met with condemnation from across the political spectrum. [...]

Minister of Economics and Trade Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home), however, cautioned against a backlash of animosity directed at the ultra-Orthodox community.