Haifa court holds man for inciting against gays, Rivlin

Labor to demonstrate in support of president.

By BEN HARTMAN, GREER FAY CASHMAN
President Reuven Rivlin (photo credit: REUTERS)
President Reuven Rivlin
(photo credit: REUTERS)
A 45-year-old Lod man was ordered kept in custody for 24 hours by the Haifa Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. He was arrested the day before for writing Facebook posts that police say incited against the LGBT community and President Reuven Rivlin.
The man, Eyal Ben-Yishai, wrote a comment on Wednesday on Facebook in which he wished death upon a woman pictured at a rally in Haifa on Saturday night. The rally was held in solidarity with the victims of the attack at the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade in which Yishai Schlissel stabbed six people, one of whom, 16-year-old Shira Banki, died later of her wounds.
The woman pictured in the post submitted the police complaint, and the case was opened by the Haifa station.
Ben-Yishai is also accused of incitement for a post written against Rivlin.
Last Friday, Gilad Kleiner of Kiryat Malachi was arrested for writing a post on Facebook praising Schlissel, and was banned from Facebook by a judge. Two days later he sent out a message to around 100 friends on WhatsApp where he expressed his joy at the death of Banki, and was rearrested.
Since the weekend, police have opened investigations into a number of threats made against Rivlin, after he spoke at a rally in Jerusalem against violence and hatred.
These include videos posted online of him wearing a Nazi uniform.
Meanwhile, a large representation of Labor Party members, primarily from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv plan to assemble opposite the President’s Residence late Friday afternoon for a festive Kabbalat Shabbat service and a demonstration of support for all that Rivlin is doing on behalf of the state and the betterment of its citizens.
Protest demonstrations frequently take place opposite the President’s Residence regardless of who the president may be. It is extremely rare to have a demonstration of endorsement and more so in this case, considering that prior to his election to the presidency, Rivlin was a long time Likud MK, who twice served as Knesset Speaker.
Rivlin’s oft repeated calls for an end to violence and for equality and equal opportunity for all citizens struck a sensitive chord with Labor.


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