MK Pnina Tamano-Shata (Yesh Atid) reacted Tuesday to the violent assault on two Ethiopian Jewish men in Petah Tikva at week’s end.

“I am ashamed and shocked by this hate crime,” said MK Tamano-Shata, who was born in Ethiopia. There is no need to try and prettify the ugly truth. The violent attack was only carried out on the basis of the victims’ skin color.”

“There is no room for such crude racist events in Israel,” she added. “I expect and demand that those responsible for the heinous attack be punished with the utmost severity, so that justice will be seen and feared. There is a feeling that there is laxity in the judicial system, which is supposed to be the first to send a clear message against citizens who are attacked solely because they are who they are.”

The attack took place near the Petach Tikva central bus station. One of the victims, who is 74, suffered serious injuries and is in Beilinson Hospital with a fractured skull. The other man, 35 , suffered light injuries.

Two residents of the city were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of attacking the victims at gunpoint. They are in their 30s. A rifle was found in the home of one of them. They have linked themselves to the crime and their remand was extended by six days.