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05 May 2011 By Juan Cole If an Arab Muslim or Christian perpetrated such an
act Islam or so called "Islamic culture," whatever
that means, would be the center of attention. Here we
have Haredim, Orthodox Jews stabbing Arabs in a racist
assault, what if they were Muslim? Christian Arab assaulted
near Safed says ‘Jews' racism against us has reached
point of real violence'
Report by Hassan Shaalan from Israel
News Alber Halul, who was stabbed Saturday night by a
group of masked men he claims are haredim, recounted
the attack Sunday. "They threatened to shoot us if we
resisted and stabbed me 10 times – in my head, my leg,
and my neck," he told Ynet. Halul, a 22-year old Christian Arab from the
Galilee town of Gush Halav, was assaulted while with a
group of friends at Ein Zeitim forest, near Safed. "At around 12:30 five masked drove up in a Nissan
jeep and began driving in circles near us. Then they
left and came back with another vehicle, and came
closer," he recalled from his hospital bed. "They threw stun grenades and fired in the air.
Then eight masked men got out of the car and began to
attack us. The guys I was with ran away but I stayed
to protect a girl who was with us. They stabbed me 10
times in my head, my leg, and my neck until they hit
me hard and I fell to the ground." Halul says he knows the men were ultra-Orthodox
Jews although they wore masks. "While they were
attacking us one of the said that if we dared to
resist they'll shoot us and we knew from their accent
and their clothes that they were ultra-Orthodox," he
said. It wasn't the first time the 22-year old was
attacked due to his race. "I won't return to the
forest again. The Jews' hatred and racism against us
has reached a point of real violence that threatens
our lives," he said. I don't want to blame anyone and hope that the
police will reach the people behind this attack
because such people shouldn't be walking the streets –
they are a menace to the Jewish and Arab public." But police have not yet made any arrests in the
case, and say they have no suspects. "The case is
still being investigated," police said in a statement. Officer Gavin Hillard writes down contact information at a mosque on Anderson Street in Portland today where someone spray painted graffiti on the wall in the wake of Osama bin Laden's death. The writing says "Osama today Islam tomorow (sic)," and "Long live the West." Jirde Mohamed walks past the front of a mosque on Anderson Street in Portland today where someone spraypainted graffiti on the wall in the wake of Osama Bin Laden's death. Bin Laden and Islam are not the same thing, said Mohammed, a member of the mosque who has lived in Portland 10 years. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer Fall out from the Bin Laden murder coupled with the anti-Islamic sentiment. Portland investigation Portland police are investigating anti-Islam graffiti painted onto the Maine Muslims Community Center on Anderson Street. The graffiti included: "Osama today, Islam tomorow (sic)," "Long live the West" and "Free Cyprus." The letters were written in maroon paint on the mosque's gray cement block wall. The graffiti was written sometime between late Sunday night and about 7:15 a.m. today, when it was discovered by Portland Housing Authority workers on Anderson Street. A crew from Graffiti Busters was called in this morning to remove the graffiti, and it had finished the task by 10:45 a.m. Officials with the community center said they recently completed purchase of the building, where they've been since 2007, for close to $1 million. They said they're disappointed by the graffiti and concerned about the impact it will have on children. The mosque, or masjid, caters to a predominantly Somali Muslim community in greater Portland and is the largest Muslim community in the city. Members say it is the first time, the center has been defaced with graffiti. "It makes me feel like I'm not welcome," said the group's treasurer, Abdiaziz Mohamed, who said his wife and four children were born here. |
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