Protests against exclusion of women urged

BEIT SHEMESH, Israel, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Israeli President Shimon Peres called on the public to demonstrate Tuesday in Beit Shemesh in a campaign for women's equality.

"Today the people as well as the police officers are being tested," Peres said during a meeting of Israeli ambassadors.

More than 10,000 people were expected to demonstrate in Beit Shemesh Tuesday to protest the exclusion of women as well as violence against girls and women by ultra-Orthodox Haredi.

Peres said people must defend Israel "in the face of a small group that harms national solidarity," Ynetnews.com reported.

Peres on Tuesday said, "The religious, the secular, the traditionalists … are not the masters of the Earth."

The rally site was near a girl's school, where Na'ama Margolese, 8, a U.S. immigrant who was spat upon by a Haredi man as she walked to school because she wasn't dressed modestly enough.

"There is no reason on earth for a person to raise a hand -- let alone on helpless girls," Beit Shemesh Mayor Moshe Abutbul said Tuesday before the rally.

Speaking about recent acts of violence against women by local ultra-Orthodox, Abutbul said "there is no pardon for those who behave provocatively. Rioters should be dealt with a firm hand."

Violence in Beit Shemesh was reported Monday as Haredi clashed with police and attacked two television news crews, Haaretz reported. At least six people were arrested or detained for questioning.

In a statement by two officials, leaders of the ultra-Orthodox district in Beit Shemesh renounced the violence committed by zealots, but blamed media for the recent radicalization.

"Marginal events, which individuals in the margins of the camp are responsible for, are being presented as the actions of the entire Haredi public living in the city," the statement, obtained by Ynetnews.com, read. "We condemn any type of violence, but we also condemn the media's wild attacks. … The press is initiating intentional provocations in a bid to ruin the reputation of the residents, who are calm, quiet and tolerant people, living their lives according to their faith."