Israeli Official Demands Investigation of Haaretz Journalist Over Social Media Post
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
Haaretz journalist Yael Freidson is facing a demand for investigation after suggesting on X that she would burn the Chief Rabbinate's offices. The Director-General of the Ministry of Religious Services, Yehuda Avitan, called her comment "wild incitement" and requested police action. Freidson deleted the post, calling it a cynical remark to a humorous thread, but later challenged Avitan to address a halachic ruling permitting the theft of Palestinian olives.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Haaretz journalist Yael Freidson is under demand for investigation after a social media post.
- Director-General Yehuda Avitan called Freidson's comment "wild incitement" and a call to violence.
- Avitan requested the police investigate Freidson for her statement about the Chief Rabbinate's offices.
- Freidson deleted the post, explaining it was a cynical response to a humorous thread.
- Freidson challenged Avitan to investigate Rabbi Dov Lior for permitting the theft of Palestinian olives.
Following recent riots in France, author Yaakov Tzemach Meir asked his followers on X (formerly Twitter) which public building they would burn in Israel. Haaretz journalist Yael Freidson responded that she would burn the offices of the Chief Rabbinate. Freidson later deleted the comment, explaining it was a cynical response to a humorous thread that had gone too far.
Yehuda Avitan, Director-General of the Ministry of Religious Services, took Freidson's comment seriously and sent an urgent letter to the Police Commissioner and the Attorney General. In the letter, he demanded an investigation into Freidson for "wild incitement and a call to violence." Avitan stated that Freidson's comment made the Rabbinate's offices a legitimate target for riots and arson, constituting incitement to violence and a direct threat to the institution and its employees. He also requested increased security around the Chief Rabbinate offices in Jerusalem.
Freidson responded to Avitan's letter, welcoming his sensitivity to incitement to violence. She expressed confidence that he would act with the same assertiveness regarding a recent halachic ruling by Rabbi Dov Lior that permitted stealing olives belonging to Palestinians. Freidson suggested that Avitan would soon contact the police to investigate the rabbi, who holds a much larger public standing than a "negligible tweet."
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