BICOM

The town of Beit Shemesh near Jerusalem witnessed a riot by young ultra-Orthodox residents yesterday. The town has become a focal point in tensions over attempts by a minority of ultra-Orthodox men to impose strict codes of gender segregation in public places where they are present. Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men took part in a riot near the school attended by eight year old Naama Margoles, whose harassment by ultra-Orthodox extremists has galvanized secular and moderate religious opinion across Israel.  Israeli news photographers sent to cover the riots were threatened by participants and forced to leave.

The government of Israel is currently preparing a series of counter-measures to combat attempts to exclude women from public places in Israel.  Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein and senior State Prosecution officials met yesterday, at the request of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to discuss renewed legal means to combat offences related to attempts to exclude and harass women.