(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Tuesday, 21 August 2012), signed a document to encourage the absorption and integration of Ethiopian Jews in Israeli society and economy, and to prevent discrimination and racism. At the signing, the Prime Minister condemned the acts of violence and racism that occurred over the weekend and said:

 

"In the state of Israel, we are not prepared to tolerate racism; neither are we prepared to tolerate the combination of racism and violence. I have just spoken with Hadassah Medical Organization Director General Prof. Ehud Kokia. I asked him about how the victims of this terrible incident in Jerusalem are doing. This is something that we cannot accept – not as Jews, not as Israelis. This is not our way; this goes against our way, and we condemn it in word and deed. We will quickly bring to justice those responsible for this reprehensible incident. We say as clearly as possible: The State of Israel is a democratic and enlightened state in which when we come across acts such as these, the entire state and all of its leaders come out together against such phenomena, and we will continue to do so. This is what makes us unique in the environment around us and this will continue to make us unique. I hope that one day our environment will change as well. But we will be persistent in our complete opposition to racism and violence."