Rabbi and Activist Charged with Inciting Racism Against Arab Doctors

Jerusalem District Prosecutors have filed an indictment against Rabbi Meir David Shmueli, 30, and Galit Dorit Kashi, 56, for inciting racism. The charges stem from a December 24, 2023, lecture given by Rabbi Shmueli, during which he allegedly claimed that Arab doctors intentionally harm Jewish soldiers and are responsible for more deaths than Hamas. He reportedly urged listeners to pray for the "eradication" of Arab doctors and warned against receiving medical care from them.

According to the indictment, Shmueli stated that Arab doctors "murder every day, more than Hamas," and recounted an alleged incident where an Arab doctor killed a patient left alone with him. He also advised against going to clinics employing Arab medical staff, calling them "despicable murderers."

Kashi is accused of editing Shmueli's remarks into a video, titled "We don't employ enemies - period!", and posting it on her YouTube channel, which has approximately 12,000 subscribers. The video, which garnered over 3,000 views, questioned why Arab "enemies" are employed in healthcare settings.

The investigation was initiated following complaints filed by Member of Knesset (MK) Ella Wahba (Ra'am) and MK Ahmad Tibi's Ta'al party. The "Tag Meir" organization, which advocated for the investigation and indictment, praised the decision but criticized the delay and the decision not to charge Shmueli with inciting violence, especially given the current climate of seeking revenge against Arabs following the Hamas attacks.