Price Tag and Extremist Attacks in Israel

Since 2008, there have been repeated attacks carried out by extremist Israeli Jews against Israeli Arabs and Palestinians, often in reprisal for Israeli government action against illegal settlement activity. These attacks, which are frequently labeled “price tag” incidents, target mosques, churches, Arab and Jewish homes and property, Israeli military bases and vehicles, as well as other Israeli Jews. They involve the desecration of property with anti-Arab and anti-government slogans. Most of these attacks include the phrase “price tag” and are accompanied by hateful and racist slogans, the name of an illegal settlement, or a reference to an Israeli casualty of Palestinian terrorism, the implication being that the violent incident is the “cost” of Israeli government action on settlements or for anti-Israeli violence.

There have also been a number of violent and deadly arson attacks carried out by extremists who, according to Israeli law enforcement, seek to destabilize the country and overthrow the Israeli government in order to establish a new regime to be based on Jewish law.

The Israeli police have established a special unit tasked with cracking down on those committing price tag assaults. Many top Israeli leaders have condemned the price tag phenomenon and other extremist attacks, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, former President Peres and President Rivlin and other senior elected officials, religious leaders and members of civil society.

ADL has also taken a strong public position on the issue, and has repeatedly issued unqualified condemnations of price tag attacks, called on law enforcement officials to investigate suspected incidents and prosecute those responsible, and encouraged prominent Israel political, religious and societal leaders to speak out against the underlying hatred and racism that motivates price tag attacks.

The following are select examples of major price tag attacks and acts of violence against Israeli Arabs and Palestinians:

• June 9, 2017 – Jerusalem – Cars belonging to Arab residents of the Beit Safafa neighborhood had their tires slashed, and a nearby wall was spray painted with the slogans “price tag” and “Kahane was right.”
• June 5, 2017 – Jerusalem – Five cars belonging to Arab residents in the French Hill neighborhood were spray painted with the slogans “death to Arabs” and “revenge. Binyamin Richter says hello,” a reference to an individual recently released from prison for committing price tag attacks.
• May 24, 2017 – ‘Ara – Two Arab-owned cars were burned and the slogan “price tag” was spray painted on a nearby wall.
• May 19, 2017 – Burin (West Bank) – A Palestinian tractor was set ablaze and the slogans “price tag” and “revenge” along with a Star of David were spray painted on a nearby wall.
• May 9, 2017 – Jerusalem – 20 cars parked between Arab and Jewish neighborhoods were spray painted with the slogan “price tag” and had their tires slashed.
• June 10, 2016 – Yafia – Two Arab cars were set on fire, and the slogans “price tag” and “revenge” were spray painted on nearby Arab-owned vehicles.
• February 22, 2016 – Jerusalem – Hebrew graffiti calling for Christians to “go to hell” was spray painted on the outer walls of the Dormition Abbey church in the Old City.
• December 22, 2015 - Beitillu (West Bank) - Smoke grenades were thrown into a Palestinian. No one was injured. The words "revenge" and "hello from the detainees of Zion" were scrawled on the side of the home – a reference to Jewish extremists being held by the Shin Bet in relation to an attack on a Palestinian family's home in Duma that killed a baby and his parents earlier this year.
• October 24, 2015 - Tsur Baher (East Jerusalem) - A car was set ablaze, and graffiti was spray painted on a nearby wall reading "Death to Arabs and "administrative revenge."
• July 31, 2015 - Duma (West Bank) - A two year old Palestinian child, Ali Dawabsheh, was burned to death after his house was set on fire. His parents and brother were wounded. Grafitti was found nearby saying "revenge," "Long Live Messiah the King" and a Star of David.
• June 30, 2015 - Jerusalem - The bilingual Hebrew-Arabic Hand-in-Hand school was spray painted with swastikas and a number of anti-Arab slogans, including Arabs to slaughter,” “Arab blood is cheap” and “Arab — the son of a whore.”
• June 18, 2015 - Tabgha - The 1500 year-old Fishes and Loaves Church was set ablaze causing damage to the prayer room and outer areas of the Church. Graffiti reading “False idols will be smashed” – a line from Jewish prayer – was spray painted on one of the Church walls.
• March 5, 2015 - Al-Mughayir (West Bank) - Two Palestinian vehicles were vandalized and set on fire, and the slogan "death fo Arabs" was spray painted on a nearby building.
• February 26, 2015 - Jerusalem - A Greek Orthodox Seminary was set on fire and vandalized with anti-Christian and ultra-nationalist Israeli graffiti including the slogans "Jesus is a son of a whore."
• February 25, 2015 - Al Ja'aba (West Bank) - A mosque was set on fire and vandalized wtih anti-Arab and price tag graffiti.
• November 29, 2014 - Jerusalem - The bilingual Hebrew-Arabic Hand-in-Hand school was set on fire. A number of anti-Arab phrases were spray painted on school walls, including: "death to Arabs," “Kahane was right,” “down with assimilation” and “there is no coexistence with cancer.”
• November 23, 2014 - Khirbet Abu Fallah (West Bank) - A Palestinian home was torched, and the phrases "death to the Arabs" and "avenge the blood of the fallen servants" was spray painted nearby.
• October 30, 2014 - Jerusalem - The slogan "death to Arabs" was found spray painted on the exterior wall of the bilingual Hebrew-Arabic Hand in Hand Center for Jewish Arab Education.
• October 13, 2014 - Aqraba - A firebomb was thrown inside a West Bank mosque damaging several holy books and rugs. Extremist graffiti was spray painted on the outside of the building.
• July 9 - 2014 - Jerusalem - The slogans "death to Arabs" and "price tag" were spray painted on walls on Herbert Samuel street and Hameiri boulevard.
• May 23, 2014 - Be'er Sheva - Graffiti reading "Jesus is a son of b***h" was spray painted on the entrance of an Old City church.
• May 3, 2014 - Bat Ayin (West Bank) - Thirty-five olive trees belonging to local Palestinians were destroyed, and graffiti reading "Arabs are thieves" and "price tag" was found near the trees.
• May 2, 2014 - Nesher - Graffiti with the slogans "price tag Tzipi Livni" and "thanks for Memorial Day" were found scrawled on a nearby Arab cemetery.
• April 30, 2014 - Yokneam - The tires of a car belonging to an Israeli-Arab were slashed, and a Star of David was spray painted on the car doors.
• April 29, 2014 - Fureidis - A mosque was vandalized and spray painted with a Star of David and the slogan "close mosques instead of yeshivot." 20 nearby vehicles had their tires slashed.
• April 18, 2014 - Umm El-Fahem - The door of a local mosque was burned down, and the slogan "Arabs leave" was spray painted on the building.
• April 8, 2014 - Yitzhar (West Bank) - Jewish settlers attacked Israeli border police who were attempting to dismantle illegal structures in the settlement of Yitzhar. The settlers burned tires, blocked streets and threw rocks, injuring six police officers. They also destroyed a settlement guard post responsible for the residents' security.
• April 3, 2014 - Jish - 40 cars belonging to Israeli Arabs had their tires slashed, and graffiti reading "Only goys [non-Jews] can be driven out of our land" was found spray painted nearby.
• April 1, 2014 - Beit Shemesh - The Beit Jamal monastery located outside the city was spray painted with the slogans "America is Nazi Germany" and "Price Tag - Peace Agreement." Three nearby vehicles had their tires slashed.
• March 23, 2014 - Jerusalem - 34 cars had their tires slashed in the Arab neighborhood of Beit Hanina, and a nearby bus was spray painted with the slogan "Goyim (non-Jews) in Israel = Enemies."
• March 11, 2014 - Jaljulia - 19 cars belonging to Israeli Arabs were damaged and had their tires slashed, and graffiti reading “Every Arab is a criminal” and “God is king” was spray painted near the entrance to the town.
• February 19, 2014 - Beit Safafa - 30 cars had their tires slashed, and graffiti reading "Arabs=thieves" and "there is no coexistence" was found spray painted on a nearby wall.
• February 10, 2014 - Jerusalem - Eighteen cars and a bus had their tires slashed in the Arab neighborhood of Silwan. The words “Arab labor = assimilation!” were found spray painted on a nearby wall.
• January 15, 2014 - Deir Istiya (West Bank) - A mosque was set on fire, and its walls spray-painted with the slogans "Arabs out," "Hi from Qusra" and "Revenge for spilled blood at Qusra," a reference to an incident from the previous week where a number of Jewish settlers were beaten and apprehended after trespassing into private property in the Qusra village.
• January 8, 2014 - Madama (West Bank) - Two Palestinian vehicles were burned, and graffiti reading "Esh Kodesh" (a reference to a nearby Jewish settlement), "revenge" and "price tag", as well as the Star of David symbol were spray-painted on a nearby wall.
• January 7, 2014 - Jaffa - Five cars were had their tires slashed, and graffiti reading ""Death to the Arabs” and “There is no co-existence” were spray-painted nearby.
• December 31, 2013 - Dahiya al-Zaraa (West Bank) - Palestinian cars were set on fire, and graffiti reading "blood will be spilled in Judea and Samaria" and "regards to John Kerry" were spray-painted on a nearby wall.
• December 8, 2013 - Baqa Al-Gharbiyye - A mosque was defaced with the slogans "Mohammed is a pig," "mutual responsibility" and "regards from Boaz and David Chai," a reference to two Israeli settlers who were recently placed under travel restrictions by the IDF. Several nearby parked cars also had their windows shattered.
• November 14, 2013 - Sinjil (West Bank) - A Palestinian home was set on fire, and a wall was spray-painted with the words "regards from Eden, revenge", a reference to the recent killing of Israeli soldier Eden Attias by a Palestinian terrorist. Residents of the home were treated for smoke inhalation.
• October 10, 2013 - Burqa (West Bank) - Three vehicles were set ablaze, and a nearby Mosque was spray-painted with the slogan "redemption of Zion loves Tomer Hazan," a reference to an IDF soldier who was recently killed by a Palestinian terrorist.
• October 1, 2013 - Jerusalem - Five cars had their tires slashed and the words “price tag” were found spray-painted on a nearby wall.
• August 27, 2013 - Beit Safafa - A number of cars had their tires punctured and license plates removed, and the slogans "price tag" and "revenge" were spray painted on nearby walls.
• August 19, 2013 - Beit Shemesh - The Beit Jamal Monastery was firebombed and spray-painted with the slogans "price tag," "death to the Gentiles" and "revenge."
• June 18, 2013 – Abu Ghosh – 28 cars were found with their tires slashed, and the slogans “Arabs out” and “racism or assimilation” were found spray-painted on a nearby wall.
• June 12, 2013 – Jaffa – Gravestones in a Christian Orthodox cemetery were spray-painted with Stars of David, and the slogans “price tag” and “revenge.” Similar graffiti was found on a nearby residential building, and five cars parked in the area had their tires slashed.
• May 31, 2013 – Jerusalem – The Church of the Dormition was spray-painted with the slogans “Jesus is a monkey” and “Havat Maon,” a reference to an illegal West Bank outpost that had been dismantled by the Israeli government earlier in the week. Vandals also slashed the tires of two cars parked outside the Church.
• May 31, 2013 – Beit Ilo (West Bank) – Three cars were found with punctured tires, and the slogans “revenge” and "price tag – regards from Eviatar," a reference to Eviatar Borovsky, an Israeli Jew murdered by a Palestinian terrorist in April 2013, were spray-painted on a nearby wall.
• May 29, 2013 - Jerusalem - Seven cars, including three at the entrance to the Arab neighborhood of Shuafat, had their tires punctured and were spray-painted with the words "Jewish blood is not..." These attacks were carried out 30 days after the murder of Eviatar Borovsky, and Israeli Jew, by a Palestinian terrorist.
• May 29, 2013 - West Bank - Cars in a number of Arab villages were torched and spray-painted with messages reading: "30 days since Eviatar – may God avenge his death" and "Regards from Eviatar, may God avenge his death.” These attacks were carried out 30 days after the murder of Eviatar Borovsky, and Israeli Jew, by a Palestinian terrorist.
• May 23, 2013 – Jerusalem - Five cars in the neighborhood of Gilo had their tires slashed, and one was spray-painted with the words “price tag.” According to the Israeli police, three of the vehicles belonged to Arabs, and two were owned by Jews.
• April 30, 2013 - West Bank - In response to the murder of Eviatar Borovsky, an Israeli Jew by a Palestinian terrorist, rocks were thrown at Palestinian cars and school buses, and Palestinian-owned fields were set on fire. There were also reports that the phrase “price tag” was found sprayed-painted on a home in a nearby Palestinian village.
• April 8, 2013 - Tuqu' (West Bank) - The slogans "price tag" and "stone terror" were spray painted on the walls of two Palestinian mosques. The graffiti included the words "revenge for Adele Bitton," a reference to an infant who was wounded alongside her mother and two siblings in a stone-throwing incident near the settlement of Ariel in March 2013.
• February 14, 2013 - Jerusalem - Stars of David and the phrases “price tag,” “Death to the Arabs” and “Ma’aleh Rehavam” were found spray-painted on Muslim tombstones in the ancient Muslim cemetery in the Mamila neighbrohood. Ma’aleh Rehavam is a reference to a West Bank settlement where a number of illegally built Jewish homes are slated to be taken down by the Israeli government.
• December 12, 2012 - Jerusalem - Vandals spray painted "Jesus is a son of a b***h" on the Monestery of the Cross and an Armenian cemetery. Additionally, three cars nearby were vandalized, one with graffiti reading “Happy Hanukkah, triumph for the Maccabees.”
• October 3, 2012 - Jerusalem - Vandals spray-painted “Jesus is a bastard” and “price tag” on the door of a Franciscan convent located next to the Dormition Abbey cathedral on Mount Zion.
• September 4, 2012 - Jerusalem - Vandals set fire to the front door of a Trappist monastery located outside the city, and spray-painted "Jesus is a monkey" along with pro-settlement slogans on the building's walls.
• August 16, 2012 – Bat Ayin (West Bank) - A Molotov cocktail was thrown at a taxi carrying six Palestinians outside the West Bank settlement. The passengers suffered severe burns.
• February 7, 2012 - Jerusalem – The Monastery of the Cross and the Hand-in-Hand Jewish-Arab school were vandalized by unknown assailants. The Greek Orthodox monastery was desecrated with graffiti reading “Death to Christians” and “Maccabees of Migron,” while “Death to Arabs” and “Kahane was right” was spray-painted outside the school.
• December 14, 2011 – Jerusalem - The historic Nebi Akasha mosque was spray-painted with the words "price tag" and "Mohammed is a pig." When police attempted to apprehend the suspects behind the vandalism, they were attacked by Jewish extremists who slashed the tires and smashed the windows of several police vehicles.
• October 3, 2011 - Tuba-Zangariyye - A mosque was spray-painted with graffiti that read "price tag" and "revenge."