Protests erupt in Israel over gender discrimination pushed by Ultra-Orthodox Jews

Thousands of people have gathered in a town near Jerusalem to protest against ultra-Orthodox Jews whose campaign for gender segregation has erupted into verbal and physical abuse against women.

There were no clashes on Tuesday in Beit Shemesh between the participants and the residents who have recently been filmed spitting at a woman and verbally harassing an eight-year-old girl.

Protesters held signs at the protest saying "Free Israel from religious coercion" and "Stop Israel from becoming Iran".

Israel's president, Shimon Peres, said, "All of us — the religious, secular, conservative — all of the branches, as one, must defend the image of the state of Israel in the face of a minority that is violating the national solidarity, that expresses itself in an outrageous manner."

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D. Beeksma

One of the growing crowd of American "nones" herself, Deborah is a prolific writer who finds religion, spirituality and the impact of belief (and non-belief) on culture inspiring, fascinating and at times, disturbing. She hosts the God Discussion show and handles the site's technical work. Her education and background is in business, ecommerce and law.

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