Israeli wedding of Jew, Muslim draws protesters amid war tensions

[onthebottom]

There is plenty of racism on both sides in Israel....


Israeli wedding of Jew, Muslim draws protesters amid war tensions
By By Allyn Fisher-Ilan
2 hours ago

By Allyn Fisher-Ilan

RISHON LEZION Israel (Reuters) - Israeli police on Sunday blocked more than 200 far-right Israeli protesters from rushing guests at a wedding of a Jewish woman and Muslim man as they shouted "death to the Arabs" in a sign of tensions stoked by the Gaza war.

Several dozen police, including members of the force's most elite units, formed human chains to keep the protesters from the wedding hall's gates and chased after many who defied them. Four protesters were arrested, and there were no injuries.

A lawyer for the couple, Maral Malka, 23, and Mahmoud Mansour, 26, both from the Jaffa section of Tel Aviv, had unsuccessfully sought a court order to bar the protest. He obtained backing for police to keep protesters 200 metres (yards) from the wedding hall in the Tel Aviv suburb of Rishon Lezion.

The protest highlighted a rise in tensions between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel in the past two months amid a monthlong Gaza war, the kidnap and slaying of three Israeli teens in June followed by a revenge choking and torching to death of a Palestinian teen in the Jerusalem area.

A group called Lehava, which organized the wedding demonstration, has harassed Jewish-Arab couples in the past, often citing religious grounds for their objections to intermarriage. But they have rarely protested at the site of a wedding.

The groom told Israel's Channel 2 TV the protesters failed to derail the wedding or dampen its spirit. "We will dance and be merry until the sun comes up. We favor coexistence," he said.

'DEATH TO THE ARABS' THREATS CHANTED

Protesters, many of them young men wearing black shirts, denounced Malka, who was born Jewish and converted to Islam before the wedding, as a "traitor against the Jewish state," and shouted epithets of hatred toward Arabs including "death to the Arabs." They sang a song that urges, "May your village burn down."

A few dozen left-wing Israelis held a counter-protest nearby holding flowers, balloons and a sign that read: "Love conquers all."

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, sworn in last month to succeed Shimon Peres, criticized the protest as a "cause for outrage and concern" in a message on his Facebook page.

"Such expressions undermine the basis of our coexistence here, in Israel, a country that is both Jewish and democratic," Rivlin, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud bloc, said.

Lehava spokesman and former lawmaker Michael Ben-Ari denounced Jews intermarrying with non-Jews of any denomination as "worse than what Hitler did," alluding to the murder of 6 million Jews across Europe in World War Two.

A surprise wedding guest was Israel's health minister, Yael German, a centrist in Netanyahu's government. She told reporters as she headed inside that she saw the wedding and the protest against it as "an expression of democracy."

Arab citizens make up about 20 percent of Israel's majority Jewish population, and the overwhelming majority of Arabs are Muslims. Rabbinical authorities who oversee most Jewish nuptials in Israel object to intermarriage fearing it will diminish the ranks of the Jewish people.

Many Israeli couples who marry out of their faith do so abroad.

Malka's father, Yoram Malka, said on Israeli television he objected to the wedding, calling it "a very sad event." He said he was angry that his daughter had converted to Islam. Of his now son-in-law, he said, "My problem with him is that he is an Arab."

(Writing by Allyn Fisher-Ilan)

 

[basketcase]

Being a democracy that allows peaceful protest, people had the right to state their opinion even if it is distasteful (the US has its fair share of immoral protesters too). The police also arrested several of them.

Thankfully the wedding went forward and the fact the Israeli President (a Likud member) attended shows that the views of the protesters aren't exactly mainstream.




p.s. typical bot post. "Plenty of racism on both sides" but let me show you a small group of racist Israelis and pretend like they represent the whole country and not mention any of the endemic racism amongst many Palestinians factions

 

[onthebottom]

Being a democracy that allows peaceful protest, people had the right to state their opinion even if it is distasteful (the US has its fair share of immoral protesters too). The police also arrested several of them.

Thankfully the wedding went forward and the fact the Israeli President (a Likud member) attended shows that the views of the protesters aren't exactly mainstream.




p.s. typical bot post. "Plenty of racism on both sides" but let me show you a small group of racist Israelis and pretend like they represent the whole country and not mention any of the endemic racism amongst many Palestinians factions

I've said repeatedly that there is massive anti-semitism in the ME - repeatedly.

 

[gryfin]

Being a democracy that allows peaceful protest, people had the right to state their opinion even if it is distasteful (the US has its fair share of immoral protesters too). The police also arrested several of them.

Thankfully the wedding went forward and the fact the Israeli President (a Likud member) attended shows that the views of the protesters aren't exactly mainstream


p.s. typical bot post. "Plenty of racism on both sides" but let me show you a small group of racist Israelis and pretend like they represent the whole country and not mention any of the endemic racism amongst many Palestinians factions

Like most Zionists, the imaginary takes precedence over reality. The Israeli President did not attend the wedding in any way.

And, the desire not to have people of different faiths marry is very mainstream in Israel. Israeli law does not allow Jews and Muslims to marry in Israel.

 

[groggy]

Like most Zionists, the imaginary takes precedence over reality. The Israeli President did not attend the wedding in any way.

And, the desire not to have people of different faiths marry is very mainstream in Israel. Israeli law does not allow Jews and Muslims to marry in Israel.

Not surprisingly, this latest round of slaughter has only increased the anger on both sides.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world...d007a5-ef49-4cb3-8521-61f322f8e342_story.html

The wanton attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are a collective punishment.
Israel has clamped down on dissent, trying to block peaceful protests and even going as far as now blocking Amnesty and HRW from entering Gaza.
http://www.haaretz.com/mobile/.premium-1.611015?v=C71173698D9D0CD11CC6ECAC6F165264

Bring on the ICC and equal rights for all.

 

[Aardvark154]

Distasteful protesters.

 

[basketcase]

...
Israel has clamped down on dissent, trying to block peaceful protests ...

Really?

 

[gryfin]

Really?

There's much more reality to that then your laughable claim that the Israeli President attended the wedding. You might want to address your own blunders before questioning others.

 

[fuji]

Israeli law does not allow Jews and Muslims to marry in Israel.

The law overwhelmingly impacts the ability of Jews to marry each other so stop with your slimy misrepresentation. Fact is an Israeli minister attended, and once the marriage is performed Israel is happy to recognize it.

In Palestinian controlled territory the couple would be killed.

 

[basketcase]

Fine I read too quickly. The President condemned the protesters and a government minister attended. Either way, high level members of the government show the protesters as fringe.

Now, how about that evidence of Israel blocking peaceful protests?

There's much more reality to that then your laughable claim that the Israeli President attended the wedding. You might want to address your own blunders before questioning others.

 

[groggy]

The law overwhelmingly impacts the ability of Jews to marry each other

Explain this ridiculous claim.
It makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[gryfin]

Fine I read too quickly. The President condemned the protesters and a government minister attended. Either way, high level members of the government show the protesters as fringe.

Now, how about that evidence of Israel blocking peaceful protests?

Who do you think you are kidding?

How can they possibly be fringe when Israeli law legislates that people of different faiths cannot get married in Israel?

 

[basketcase]

... Israeli law does not allow Jews and Muslims to marry in Israel.

Wrong. Israeli law only allows religious marriages. If any Rabbi, Imam, or Priest is willing to marry an interfaith couple they may. Israel also recognizes marriages that take place outside of Israel including same sex ones.

It is sort of silly that Israel currently has no civil marriage and they are discussing it but it is hardly the racial matter you claim.


Of course we know what would happen if it was the other way round and the woman converted from Islam to Judaism.

 

[gryfin]

Wrong. Israeli law only allows religious marriages. If any Rabbi, Imam, or Priest is willing to marry an interfaith couple they may. Israel also recognizes marriages that take place outside of Israel including same sex ones.

It is sort of silly that Israel currently has no civil marriage and they are discussing it but it is hardly the racial matter you claim.


Of course we know what would happen if it was the other way round and the woman converted from Islam to Judaism.

Oops....we've caught you being dishonest again:

"Before 1953 "Knesset Israel" courts had authority over Jews registered with it. However, in 1953 rabbinical courts were established with jurisdiction over matters of marriage and divorces of all Jews in Israel, nationals and residents. (section 1) It was also provided that marriages and divorces of Jews in Israel would be conducted according to the law of the Torah. (section 2)

Since 1953 the rabbinate has only approved marriages between Jews in Israel conducted in accordance with the Orthodox interpretation of halakha. The changes were applauded by religious Jews, but have been criticized by secular Jews since they were instituted. The only exception to these arrangements was that marriages entered into abroad were recognised as valid in Israel.

Jewish marriage and divorce in Israel is under the jurisdiction of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, which defines a person's Jewish status strictly according to halakha. The rabbinate's standards and interpretations in these matters are generally used by the Israeli Interior Ministry in registering marriages and divorces."

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_in_Israel

Jews can't marry Muslims in Israel.

 

[basketcase]

Oops....we've caught you being dishonest again:...

It would help if your source addressed the point. Nowhere in your C&P does it say that mixed marriages are illegal.

A Rabbi, Priest, and an Imam (walk into a bar and) have the freedom to conduct mixed marriages. Instead of trying to make up crap about Israel you could also question why Priests or Imams won't preside over an interfaith wedding.

And still, if a Jew and a Muslim (or Christian and Muslim or Christian and Jew) get married overseas their marriage will be recognized by Israel.

 

[exceed]

And still, if a Jew and a Muslim (or Christian and Muslim or Christian and Jew) get married overmseas their marriage will be recognized by Israel.

And why would they need to get married overseas?

 

[toguy5252]

And why would they need to get married overseas?

They do not need to get married overseas. Israeli law has left the solemnization of marriage to religious groups. I would have thought that people would in fact praise Israel for not seeking to impose its civil laws on religions including religious minorities. It is up to each religion to determine who can marry etc. Not the the state. Just like in Muslim countries. Not.

It may have eluded some people but the marriage did take place notwithstanding the protests of a group of religious zealots. The protests were condemned by the President and a minster of the government attended.

No one has ever said that Israel does not have its share of religious zealots and idiots. Fortunately the rule of law prevails and I don't think anyone was beheaded.

 

[gryfin]

They do not need to get married overseas. Israeli law has left the solemnization of marriage to religious groups. I would have thought that people would in fact praise Israel for not seeking to impose its civil laws on religions including religious minorities. It is up to each religion to determine who can marry etc. Not the the state. Just like in Muslim countries. Not.

It may have eluded some people but the marriage did take place notwithstanding the protests of a group of religious zealots. The protests were condemned by the President and a minster of the government attended.

No one has ever said that Israel does not have its share of religious zealots and idiots. Fortunately the rule of law prevails and I don't think anyone was beheaded.

That's a nice dance. It's Israeli government policy and law to abandon its social policy obligations regarding marriage to religious authorities knowing full well that the Jewish religious authorities will not marry a Jew with a member of any other religion. That means close to 80% of the Israeli population cannot intermarry.

Western countries have not abandoned their social policy obligations and confirm intermarriage as a civil right by providing a process and mechanism for it. They approach the issue as one of full equality.

 

[toguy5252]

That's a nice dance. It's Israeli government policy and law to abandon its social policy obligations regarding marriage to religious authorities knowing full well that the Jewish religious authorities will not marry a Jew with a member of any other religion. That means close to 80% of the Israeli population cannot intermarry.

Western countries have not abandoned their social policy obligations and confirm intermarriage as a civil right by providing a process and mechanism for it. They approach the issue as one of full equality.

LMAO. Giving religions the freedom to determine who can marry according to their faith is abandoning its obligations. Well then most of the world would then hope that every Muslim country would abandon their obligations. Why don't you try and get the new Islamic State to abandon its social obligations and stop beheading people or burying them alive.

You are a way too funny, increasingly silly, and desperate and always pathetic clown. Keep up the good work.

 

[gryfin]

LMAO. Giving religions the freedom to determine who can marry according to their faith is abandoning its obligations. Well then most of the world would then hope that every Muslim country would abandon their obligations. Why don't you try and get the new Islamic State to abandon its social obligations and stop beheading people or burying them alive.

You are a way too funny, increasingly silly, and desperate and always pathetic clown. Keep up the good work.

You need to acquaint yourself with countries and people who believe in equality and are not terrified by intermarriage. Like Canada. Canada lets every religion makes its own choices regarding who they marry but they also have not deliberately abandoned their responsibility to provide full equality in marriage and intermarriage. They've created a process and mechanism for civil intermarriage. If you believe in intermarriage and equality, that's what you do. That's why Israel hasn't.