RAMALLAH: Early Wednesday morning, an Israeli policeman posted a Facebook update that expressed his wish that an Arab attack victim would have died. Within hours, the status went viral and caused a social media uproar. In respect to an Arab woman who was attacked by a mob of orthodox Jewish women in Jerusalem, Officer Ariel Shapiro wrote, “Very good, too bad the bitch didn't die." On Monday, the woman was standing and waiting at the light rail in Jerusalem when a passing ultra-orthodox Jewish woman punched her in the face for no apparent reason, according to Israeli daily Maariv. The attacker's friends then proceeded to join her in beating the Arab woman, who tried to resist but was overcome by the mob. Over 100 witnesses, mostly Jewish Yeshiva students, watched the attack without intervening, reports Ma'an News Agency. The attack came after Sunday's brutal assault of a Palestinian resident of Jaffa who is presently in the hospital. Police suspect that a group of Ethiopian Jewish youth attacked the man, who was told that “Arabs are taking over the country" as he was being assaulted. A similar attack took place in August 2012. Three Palestinian teenagers were attacked in Jerusalem's Zion Square by a group of Jewish youth, who chanted “Death to Arabs" while they beat one of the Palestinians into critical condition. One of the suspects told police officers that he hoped the victim died because “he is an Arab. I would have stabbed him if I could." BN
