April 10, 2001

I would like to draw your attention to statements made by Israel’s Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef on the night of April 9, 2001 during a religious lesson.

In the said lesson to his followers the Rabbi said:

“God will exterminate the Arabs, and God will punish those Arabs and destroy their offspring, destruct them, and banish them.” He further added: “ Since the exodus from Egypt until today, the enemies are trying to hurt the Jewish people. During the past one hundred years those attempts included attacks by the Arabs against Jews.” He concluded his statement saying:” We must not ask mercy for them {the Arabs}, we must shell them with missiles “Ala Keif keifak” {missiles which you really like}, We must destroy those felonious.”

Such racist and blatant statements are uttered by the leader of the third main party in Israel, a party that had participated in all past Israeli governments and is a participant in the current government. Unfortunately, such statements were not even regretted by the Israeli government, neither did the government of Israel express its apology for the statements.

This is the third time that this racist leader issues such statements of incitement to hatred. At the same time the current Israeli government continues its deception by warning against dangers stemming from political and media incitement.

I would like to draw your attention to this racist incitement, given that such blatant form of hostility against humanity speak for itself.