Two Incidents of Anti-Haredi Hate Erupt in Ashdod

Ashdod, Israel, experienced two disturbing incidents of hate directed at ultra-Orthodox Jews over the past weekend, raising concerns about public discourse and shared spaces. The first incident occurred late Friday night in the City district when a scooter rider verbally abused and threw a lit cigarette butt at an ultra-Orthodox man walking with his wife and young daughters. The cigarette narrowly missed igniting his clothing, and the attacker fled the scene. The family returned home deeply shaken.

The second incident took place Saturday evening near the border of districts V and VII. A secular girl, appearing to be around 10 years old, spat at an ultra-Orthodox young man as he crossed the street. The incident was witnessed by local journalist Ofer Ashtuker, who was waiting at a crosswalk. Ashtuker expressed his shock in a social media post, questioning what the child might have been exposed to that led to such behavior. He emphasized that while disagreements are permissible, fostering hatred towards individuals based on their religious observance is unacceptable, posing the question of what future acts of animosity might follow.

Both incidents have prompted discussion about the escalating tensions and potential for violence in public spaces, particularly concerning the treatment of the ultra-Orthodox community.