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Last update - 21:45 09/08/2007
Bar Ilan U. mulls disciplining prof. who wished officer dead
By Jonathan Lis and Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondents

Bar Ilan University President Moshe Kaveh on Thursday slammed Hillel Weiss, a professor at the institution, for verbally assaulting a senior Israel Defense Forces commander during the forced evacuation of the Hebron market on Tuesday.

Weiss was filmed saying of Hebron Division commander Colonel Yehuda Fuchs: "I hope his mother will be bereaved, his wife will be a widow and his children orphans," as security forces evacuated more than 200 protesters and settlers from the wholesale market in the West Bank city of Hebron.

Also Thursday, Judea and Samaria District Police launched a criminal investigation against Weiss over the incident for suspected incitement.

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Kaveh said the university is considering trying Wiess in an internal disciplinary tribunal, in addition to the police probe. Such a measure is rarely taken by universities.

"His statements were horrific and need condemnation and public denunciation... The university views his actions very gravely, and demands he take responsibility for them."

The professor also said that the security officers who carried out the evacuation are "worse than the Germans."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak approached Attorney General Menachem Mazuz Thursday on the matter, requesting that Mazuz consider legal action. IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi ordered the chief army prosecutor to discuss the matter with Mazuz.

Similarly, Absorption Minister Yaakov Edrey approached Interior Security Minister Avi Dichter, requesting that he carry out a police investigation.

Ashkenazi spoke to both Colonel Fuchs and his wife on the phone and gave them his full support. According to an army official, Ashkenazi told Fuchs that he was disgusted by Weiss' disparaging words. He added that he would not allow the IDF to be dragged into a political argument while the honor of the soldiers and officers is trampled upon.

In response to Ashkenazi's censure of his remarks, Weiss said "cursing is in the framework of the right to free speech. Rabbi Ovadia Yossef and soccer fans act in the same manner."

"Nobody has the moral right to investigate me. The police and army would be better off taking a look at their recent actions instead of investigating me. I don't care about this investigation," Weiss continued.
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  1.   Leftist Hypocrisy 12:28  |  Ben Israel 09/08/07
  2.   Damned silly thing to say 12:33  |  Palindromic Hannah 09/08/07
  3.   Bar-Ilan should discipline, if not fire him 13:00  |  michael cohen 09/08/07
  4.   If cursing were a crime ALL Israelis are guilty! 13:06  |  Nannette 09/08/07
  5.   ALSO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AGAINST ALL THOSE EVICTING JEWS FROM 13:07  |  Dick 09/08/07
  6.   amen 13:22  |  eliezer 09/08/07
  7.   weiss 13:33  |  leoncio 09/08/07
  8.   THE PROFESSOR OF HATRED 13:36  |  indrajaya 09/08/07
  9.   Just another plausible reason for the... 13:42  |  Dutch Dirk 09/08/07
  10.   Hillel Weiss career move? 14:01  |  sh 09/08/07
  11.   free speech 14:10  |  Jo Jo 09/08/07
  12.   Good Bye Free Speech 14:11  |  Truthmonger 09/08/07
  13.   Yes, it`s free speech, and Rabin is alive and fine. 14:19  |  Andreas 09/08/07
  14.   squelching dissent 14:24  |  Yitz 09/08/07
  15.   to Michael Cohen 14:25  |  bj 09/08/07
  16.   # 13, ANDREAS 14:34  |  indrajaya 09/08/07
  17.   He has a right to say what he wants 14:35  |  Israeli 09/08/07
  18.   Bar Ilan Freedom of speech 14:36  |  Ben Adam 09/08/07
  19.   Sticks and stones 14:44  |  Edna 09/08/07
  20.   Free Speech 14:51  |  Sam Weinstein 09/08/07
  21.   Academically, he`s an important scholar 14:52  |  Yonatan 09/08/07
  22.   # 19, EDNA 14:57  |  indrajaya 09/08/07
  23.   Go into a corner and cry 15:00  |  Charlie 09/08/07
  24.   A professor with filthy tongue 15:02  |  Tamir Palestine 09/08/07
  25.   Probe of Prof. Weiss 15:11  |  Mitch 09/08/07
  26.   Typical witch hunt carryied out by the corrupt politicos. 15:14  |  common sense 09/08/07
  27.   #1 is right on!! 15:16  |  Kenny Fisher 09/08/07
  28.   Freedom of speech-- and its abuse 15:27  |  Sherlock Holmes 09/08/07
  29.   Welcome to China ! 15:29  |  Michael 09/08/07
  30.   reply to #15 - 15:32  |  michael cohen 09/08/07
  31.   #4 Nannette you forget the context of his words.. 15:35  |  Don Camillo 09/08/07
  32.   curses professor 15:36  |  scanadu 09/08/07
  33.   # 4; #1, #28: to Nanette, Ben Israel and Sherlock Holmes. 15:56  |  Leo 09/08/07
  34.   Towards a New Destruction of the Temple 15:58  |  Brian Freund 09/08/07
  35.   Prof. Weiss 16:04  |  D 09/08/07
  36.   Repugnant words are not grounds to limit free expression... 16:05  |  bat yam 09/08/07
  37.   Free speech and Rabin 16:11  |  Michael 09/08/07
  38.   "Who Shall Rid Me Of This Turbulent Priest?" 16:34  |  SM 09/08/07
  39.   Indrajaya 16:52  |  Pieter Nelis 09/08/07
  40.   If he were to curse in Yiddish it would be more acceptable? 17:10  |  Nannette 09/08/07
  41.   Leo haven`t you ever cursed the weather, government or neighbour? 17:14  |  Nannette 09/08/07
  42.   to Dutch Dirk#9 17:29  |  Ilya 09/08/07
  43.   so the israeli police believe in witchcraft ? 17:36  |  victor hardman 09/08/07
  44.   Unforgivable crime 17:38  |  Robert 09/08/07
  45.   what happened to freedom of speech? 17:46  |  chaim schonbrun 09/08/07
  46.   Perhaps Professor Weiss is a leftist 17:55  |  Herbert Kaine 09/08/07
  47.   Israel wasting police resourses 17:56  |  Yaacov 09/08/07
  48.   Professor Weiss 17:57  |  Joseph Grunpeter 09/08/07
  49.   indrajaya 18:03  |  Yaacov 09/08/07
  50.   In the USA is cursing police officers illegal? 18:07  |  Yaacov 09/08/07
  51.   All people that support the settlers have a murderous streak 18:13  |  Natallie Durson 09/08/07
  52.   Comparing Israelis to Nazis 18:22  |  jordanispalestine 09/08/07
  53.   WHAT ABOUT FREEDOM OF SPEECH? 18:25  |  Yochanan 09/08/07
  54.   #32 Don Camillo re Nannette 18:26  |  Labhras 09/08/07
  55.   Demoncracy 18:36  |  Ari 09/08/07
  56.   indrajaya #16 & some thoughts about free speech 18:44  |  Brad 09/08/07
  57.   Professor at Bar Ilan University: "worse than the Germans" 18:45  |  Ronen 09/08/07
  58.   Boycott Israeli Academe ? 18:49  |  David James Vickery 09/08/07
  59.   Free speech ends where incitement to violence starts 18:55  |  Galit 09/08/07
  60.   The real danger 19:08  |  Esther 09/08/07
  61.   #51 Natalie 19:11  |  Joseph 09/08/07
  62.   Jail the hate-professor for Holocaust denial 19:11  |  Keren 09/08/07
  63.   #50 Yaacov 19:14  |  * BEN JABO 09/08/07
  64.   The wrong charge 19:17  |  Tosefta 09/08/07
  65.   #58 David James Vickery 19:19  |  * BEN JABO 09/08/07
  66.   What does the professor lecture? Land-worshipping?! 19:21  |  Adi 09/08/07
  67.   Freedom-of-speech..... 19:29  |  Esther 09/08/07
  68.   Drop dead! Ooops!! TAXI DRIVERS BEWARE !!!! 19:34  |  Menachem Ben Yakov 09/08/07
  69.   WHAT IS THERE TO INVESTIGATE? 19:34  |  BILL HANDEL 09/08/07
  70.   Let`s hope the British won`t notice 19:39  |  Bob 09/08/07
  71.   For Natallie Durson 19:39  |  Esther 09/08/07
  72.   Heh, heh. The more I read the lefty sentiments here... 19:56  |  bat yam 09/08/07
  73.   IN SEARCH OF AN ANGEL 20:06  |  * BEN JABO 09/08/07
  74.   #65, Ben Jabo, talking of pictures making me sick... 20:17  |  Silvienne 09/08/07
  75.   Wrong charge maybe 20:17  |  sh 09/08/07
  76.   #67 Esther - I was more shocked by Rabin`s deed 20:19  |  * BEN JABO 09/08/07
  77.   Professor who? 20:32  |  John Saul 09/08/07
  78.   hillel weiss 21:08  |  vladimir 09/08/07
  79.   For *BEN JABO # 76 21:13  |  Esther 09/08/07
  80.   What`s right for one... 21:22  |  Moshe 09/08/07
  81.   The wrong charge, definitely (Sh #75) 21:27  |  Tosefta 09/08/07
  82.