Jewish group fights mixed marriages

Saleh Naami in Gaza, Sunday 26 Dec 2010

Attacks against Arab men seen with Jewish women has been attributed to one group emboldened to act by Rabbis and the fear of mixed marriages

Ultra right jews
Israeli supporters of the country's ultranationalist right-wing take part in a rally in Jerusalem December 23, 2010. Photo:REUTERS

Israel's Channel One on Friday night aired a report on an investigation by Israeli police in to a Jewish group dedicated to attacking young Arab men seen in the company of Jewish girls.

The channel's source is reportedly a high ranking police officer. According to the officer, the group is composed of dozens of Jewish youths working in Jerusalem and other "mixed" cities populated by both Arabs and Jews.

The group has assumed the responsibility of attacking any Arab "caught" accompanying a Jewish girl on the street and public places.

In some cases, girls would be recruited to lure Arab men into parks where they are then attacked.

Members of the group have told the police that they are carrying out a Fatwa issued by rabbis that prohibits relationships between an Arab man and Jewish woman to minimize mixed marriages. Judaism is inherited from the mother, regardless of the father’s religion.

Jewish groups have for the past few years strived to convince Jewish women married to Arabs to divorce them. They offer incentives or sometimes use threats to achieve their goal.  

These groups operate through the collection and compilation of information, from local councils and courts, about Jewish girls that marry Arabs.

The large scale protests that erupted in a number of "mixed" cities calling for the expulsion of Arabs also warned about the dangers of interracial marriages.

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