A group of haredi extremists chased and attacked Beit Shemesh Mayor Aliza Bloch on Monday night in the city, Hebrew media reported.
They encircled her, threw bottles at her, and threatened to hurt her if she didn’t leave the neighborhood, Walla reported. According to eyewitnesses, medical teams arrived at the scene, protected her from the attackers, and quickly escorted her to the car.
מהומה: ראש העיר בית שמש עליזה בלוך הגיע לפני זמן קצר לרחוב נהר הירדן בשכונת רמת בית שמש ב’ והותקפה בידי עשרות חרדים קיצונים בקריאות “מנוולת תסתלקי מפה”. pic.twitter.com/gpnRgffLp0
— שניאור בליניצקי – Shneor Bell (@shneorbell) July 17, 2023
“A handful of extreme fanatics rioted last night against Mayor Aliza Bloch during a monitoring tour of infrastructure renovation and development on Nahar Hayarden Street in Ramah Bet of the city,” said Bloch’s office, according to Walla. “A group of haredi residents repelled the attackers and created a buffer between them and the mayor. The incident ended without injuries.”
Ultra orthodox Jews clash with police during a protest in Beit Shemesh, March 21, 2022. (credit: YAAKOV LEDERMAN/FLASH90)Municipal elections near in Beit Shemesh
The attack came ahead of the municipal elections in Beit Shemesh which are set to take place in October.
Parts of the haredi community in Beit Shemesh are staunchly opposed to Bloch. On Sunday, Yisrael Silverstein, the chairman of the Degel Hatorah Party in Beit Shemesh told 93FM that “Bloch managed to unite the whole city against her, this is manifested in the collapse of public transportation.”
Silverstein added that a haredi candidate should be mayor, saying “we don’t need a ‘workaholic’ but rather a haredi representative.”
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