President Rivlin's address on the murders and violence

... “Friends, the flames are spreading in our land – flames of violence, flames of hatred, flames of false, distorted and twisted beliefs,” said Rivlin.

“We cannot continue to dismiss these flames, which are consuming the public in Israel...These flames, which are consuming all of us, cannot be extinguished with weak condemnations. These flames cannot be extinguished with solidarity rallies.”

Noting that a 15-year-old girl stabbed by an ultra-Orthodox Jew at the gay pride parade remains in critical condition, the president said the suspected Jewish extremists who killed a Palestinian toddler in the West Bank the following day have further shamed the nation.

“To my great horror and shame, the letting of blood, the path of hatred and murder, did not stop [at the parade],” he said.

“Over the course of the same night, Jewish terrorists burned down the house of the Dawabsha family in the village of Duma, killing their baby son Ali, and seriously injuring his four-year-old brother, and his father. His mother is still fighting for her life.”

Rivlin said that when he visited the family at Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, he was ashamed and “ridden with dread for the power of hatred.

“Ashamed that a country which has known the murder of Shalhevet Pass, of the Fogel family, of Adele Biton, of Eyal, Gil-Ad, Naftali and Muhammad Abu Khdeir, there are still those who do not hesitate to ignite the flames, to burn the flesh of a baby, to increase the hatred and terrorism,” he said.

“‘Even though you make many prayers,’ cried out the Prophet Isaiah,” he continued. “‘I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.’” Rivlin warned that such “flames cannot be extinguished with posts on Facebook, and statements in the media.”

“These flames cannot be extinguished with repression, denial and disregard,” he said.

“Incitement, ridicule, frivolity, laxity and arrogance of the heart, cannot extinguish the fire, but only allow it to burn stronger, with fervor, to spread in all directions, and permeate all walks of life. A blatant disregard for the rule of law, for human dignity, for a love of mankind, for a love of Israel, and freedom of opinion, has spread within us, and is wreaking havoc.”

Moreover, Rivlin warned that an atmosphere of leniency toward extremism has taken root within Israeli society.

“Every society has extremist fringes, but today we have to ask: What is it in the public atmosphere which allows extremism and extremists to walk in confidence, in broad daylight?” he continued.
“What is it that has enabled these weeds to threaten the safety of the entire garden of flowers? These flames cannot be extinguished through repression. To put out the flames, we need be a much more determined and decisive. We must be thorough and clear.”

To effectively address the growing problem of intolerance, Rivlin said a holistic reckoning must take place throughout the country’s classrooms, police precincts, and the Knesset itself.

“We must put out the flames, the incitement, before they destroy us all,” he said.

“Citizens of Israel: A Jewish and democratic Israel needs a wakeup call today. The Israel of the Declaration of Independence, the Israel of the vision of the Prophets, of compassion and mercy, today needs a wake-up call.”

(from http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Protests-against-Homophobia-and-Jewish-terror-take-place-throughout-Israel-410816 )