Jerusalem, July 1, 2015 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today strongly condemned the vandalism of the Hand-to-Hand bilingual Hebrew-Arabic school in Jerusalem, the third such “price tag” attack against the school in a year. ADL called the repeated attacks “shameful” and appealed to Israeli law enforcement to do more to crack down on those responsible for carrying out and inspiring these and other price tag attacks.
On Monday night, vandals spray painted swastikas and anti-Arab graffiti on the Hand-in-Hand school’s walls, including the slogans “Arabs to slaughter,” “Arab blood is cheap,” and “Arab – the son of a whore.”
Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, who is currently traveling in Israel, issued the following statement:
All such expressions of hatred are shameful wherever they appear. That the Hand-in-Hand school – a symbol of tolerance and mutual respect between Israeli Jews and Arabs – is the repeated venue for expressions of vile anti-Arab bigotry is beneath contempt. It is deeply disturbing that these attacks continue to occur on a seemingly regular basis.
The school and its student body strive to embrace the ideals of Israeli society. The students’ response to the vandalism – including covering up the hateful graffiti with the message “Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies,” is both heartwarming and an important message about the school’s resolve in the face of extremist voices.
Israeli law enforcement must do more to protect the school and its students from further attack, and crack down on the reprehensible actors responsible for inspiring and carrying out these and other price tag attacks.
“Price Tag” is the name given by extremist Israeli settlers to attacks carried out in reprisal for Israeli government action against illegal settlement activity. Such attacks - including the targeting of mosques, churches, Arab homes and property, Israeli military bases and vehicles, as well as other settlers - have increased in past years. They involve the desecration of property with anti-Arab and anti-government slogans including the phrase “price tag,” often accompanied by hateful and racist slogans, the name of an illegal settlement, or a reference to an Israeli casualty of Palestinian terrorism.