Armenian clergy subjected to Haredi spitting attacks

[Poll_Blind]

From http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/armenian-clergy-subjected-to-haredi-spitting-attacks-1.393912">Haaretz:

When Narek Garabidian, a Canadian of Armenian extraction, came to Israel to study at the Armenian Orthodox theological seminary in Jerusalem, he never thought he would have to endure harsh insults from passersby.

For the past 18 months, Garabidian said last week, he has been spit at and cursed by ultra-Orthodox passersby in the Old City.

About a month ago he was spit at again, but this time, it hit his clothes. Garabidian, a former football player, said: "I pushed the two young ultra-Orthodox men up against the wall and asked, 'Why are you doing this?' They were really scared and said, 'Forgive us, we're sorry.' So I let them go."

When asked about the matter, Armenian clergymen said they had all been spit at, from the archbishop to the youngest of the divinity students. The most recent incident was on Thursday night, when a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews got together to spit at the gates of the Armenian church. However, the police found out about the incident and thwarted it by stationing officers in front of the church.

Stay classy, Haredi!

Related from Haaretz:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/ultra-orthodox-spitting-attacks-on-old-city-clergymen-becoming-daily-1.393669">Ultra-Orthodox spitting attacks on Old City clergymen becoming daily
http://www.haaretz.com/capital-anglos-mobilize-against-practice-of-spitting-at-christians-1.264213">Capital Anglos mobilize against practice of spitting at Christians
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/christians-in-jerusalem-want-jews-to-stop-spitting-on-them-1.137099">Christians in Jerusalem want Jews to stop spitting on them
Yeshiva student apologizes to archbishop for spitting
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/poraz-blasts-intolerable-spitting-incidents-1.137221">Poraz blasts `intolerable' spitting incidents
http://www.haaretz.com/news/poraz-repulsed-by-cases-of-jews-spitting-on-christians-1.137199">Poraz 'repulsed' by cases of Jews spitting on Christians
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/jerusalem-s-disgrace-1.137141">Jerusalem's disgrace

That's just off a quick search, too! This practice apparently goes back years and years. I can't remember if I ever came across why. Does anybody know?

PB

[rug]

1. Wow, I had never heard of this.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Obviously, the Armenian Christians are interfering with the Orthodox Jews'

right to spit where they damn well please.

[Deep13]

3. Is it just Armenians or is it all other clergy?

'Forgive us, we're sorry.' They may as well say "we knew we were wrong."

[Poll_Blind]

5. The phenomenon is apparently directed at Christians and crucifixes, specifically.

:shrug:

I started reading Haaretz, Israel's oldest newspaper, many years ago. It's actually a pretty good read even outside of Middle East politics. They're definitely the largest Leftie newspaper in Israel and I just couldn't help but notice these stories popping up occasionally over the years I've been reading them.

This story was from today and I was like "This is still going on?"

:wtf:

PB

[Faygo Kid]

4. Really weird, and unacceptable. Do they not realize what the Armenians went through?

Surely the Jews should be the first group to empathize with Armenians.

[Crunchy Frog]

7. Many of the Haredi don't appear to empathise with ANYONE.

http://digitaljournal.com/article/313766

And there are people on the I/P forum defending this behavior, or at least suggesting that it's not so bad. :eyes:

[MADem]

6. This would be a wonderful subject for covertly-filmed YOUTUBE videos.

Sometimes, the only way to shame people is to make sure the whole world is watching.

This is the behavior of some very stupid people. I imagine peer pressure would put a halt to this crap very quickly if the practice were publicized.

[Deep13]

8. "We both have the same imaginary friend, but your new imaginary friends are evil!" nt