Teacher arrested over posts appearing to justify rape, other Oct. 7 acts by Hamas
Suspect, who has been booted from position at Petah Tikva school, claims Israeli soldiers have raped Palestinians since 1948, argues occupied nations can do whatever they need to
Michael Horovitz is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel
A history and civics teacher working at a school in the central city of Petah Tikva was arrested Friday for appearing to justify rape and other atrocities committed by Hamas during its October 7 onslaught, police said.
“Israeli soldiers didn’t rape Palestinians? They have since 1948, and this doesn’t make it into the textbooks,” the suspect claimed on a messaging group with other teachers following the outbreak of the war last month, apparently commenting on accounts that Hamas terrorists had raped women during their murderous onslaught in southern Israel.
“An occupied nation is allowed to do anything that is needed in order to succeed in its struggle,” he wrote in a separate instance, appearing to justify the atrocities committed by Hamas, whose terrorists murdered around 1,200 people, mostly civilians butchered in their homes and at a music festival, and kidnapped at least 244 to Gaza.
The unprecedented attack happened under a deluge of thousands of rockets directed at Israeli towns and cities. Some victims were tortured, raped, burned and mutilated, with many of the acts proudly filmed by the perpetrators.
After a complaint was filed, the Petah Tikva municipality and Education Ministry removed the teacher from his position.
The suspect appeared before a court on Friday, where judges extended his custody at least until Monday, while police continue their investigation.
According to media outlets, the suspect has a history of expressing support for terror, disparaging security forces, and even eulogizing a terrorist.
Earlier in the year, he wrote that someone who carried out a car-ramming attack “was not a terrorist,” and he has also made online posts encouraging attacks on soldiers and police officers.
The suspect once labeled Israeli Air Force pilots as “child murderers” and encouraged high school students to refuse to serve in the army.
“They know well what the results will be, and still they chose to obey,” he wrote of the pilots.
Police say they are taking a zero-tolerance policy toward incitement to violence and support of terrorism as the war against Hamas rages.
Last Sunday, police said 48 indictments had been filed for incitement to violence and terror since the war began. According to a statement, the authorities were probing 381 publications, with cases opened over 173 of them due to suspicion of incitement and support of terror.
Earlier this month, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel unveiled a proposal that would allow Israel to strip individuals of citizenship if they express solidarity with terror groups or incite terror during times of war.
The proposed bill came amid outrage over online posts by prominent Arab Israeli actress Maisa Abd Elhadi, who has been indicted for allegedly expressing support for Hamas by posting on social media celebrating the terror group’s massacre.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
