Goldstein-Purim Party Spark MKs Protests

Several Knesset members yesterday asked the police and Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein to investigate a teenaged boy who was photographed holding a pistol to the head of a friend dressed up as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The photograph was taken on Monday night at a combination Purim celebration/memorial ceremony for Baruch Goldstein, who murdered 29 Muslim worshipers at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron in 1994. The ceremony took place at Goldstein's grave in the nearby settlement of Kiryat Arba.

According to police, the pictures show one teen wearing a mask of Ariel Sharon while the other holds a pistol to his head and a knife to his throat. Police added that several of those present were wearing T-shirts with slogans such as "Arik Sharon is a traitor and will soon die" and "We got Rabin; we will also get you, Elyakim Rubinstein."

Police said they arrested the boys, both minors, on suspicion of incitement and sedition that same evening. One of them, however, was released after questioning, while the other was released this morning at the order of Jerusalem Magistrate's Court Judge Haim Liran, who said the suspects were nothing more than two drunk teenagers.

Liran released the boy on his own recognizance and ordered him to stay out of Hebron for the next three days.

MKs Ran Cohen (Meretz) and Ophir Pines-Paz (Labor) both demanded in response that the state put an end to the annual ceremonies at Goldstein's grave.

Also yesterday, hundreds of Jewish residents of Hebron held their annual Purim parade through the city, whose Palestinian residents were placed under curfew for the purpose.

At one point, the marchers sang a song that has recently become popular in a few religious Zionist circles: "Strengthen me, O Lord, I pray thee, just this once, that I might take revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes."

The song, which is based on a verse from the Book of Judges, contains Samson's plea to God after having been captured and blinded by the Philistines.

The settlers say the song expresses their hope that the state will take revenge for the many Israeli victims of Palestinian attacks in Hebron over the last few months.