MK Elazar Stern (Hatnua) was attacked on Sunday evening by an illegal infiltrator from Eritrea, as he was visiting neighborhoods in southern Tel Aviv.
Stern came to southern Tel Aviv at the request of the local residents, who have been suffering from endless harassment and other problems by the many illegal infiltrators who end up in their neighborhoods.
During the visit, Stern tried to cross a street along with the residents, when an infiltrator tried to obstruct his way. One resident yelled at the infiltrator and asked him to vacate the premises.
In response, the infiltrator attacked Stern from behind and hit him in the head, knocking down his kippah and stepping on it.
Following the assault, MK Stern said, “These are phenomena that would not be tolerated anywhere else in the world but occur right here among us.”
“If they would disperse the infiltrators in other neighborhoods in the country things would look different,” added Stern.
Interior Minister Gideon Saar recently toured southern Tel Aviv in an effort to learn up close about the infiltrator phenomenon.
Saar said that the problem is “one of the most difficult, sensitive and delicate problems that Israeli society faces.”
“This problem did not form overnight and I recommend against creating the impression that it can be solved overnight. The situation needs to be changed, and this is what I intend to do.”
May Golan, an activist for the southern Tel Aviv neighborhoods, told Arutz Sheva that she believes Minister Saar “experienced culture shock” on his tour. “He saw the number of infiltrators, the looks, the curses and the physical violence. I think he understands now,” she said.
A Sudanese man was recently charged with several crimes in connection to the attempted rape of a young child in her home in southern Tel Aviv.
Mohammed Suleiman Ahmed, 22, was indicted for attempted rape of a child under age 14, as well as for assault, aggravated assault causing injury, threatening violence, theft, and breaking and entering with criminal intent.
Ahmed entered a family home at 5 a.m. on March 3 and began stealing items. He then took a knife and entered the children’s room and attempted to rape an 8-year-old girl at knife point, and threatened the girl’s brother as well.
The children’s mother heard the girl’s cries over an intercom and came to her daughter’s assistance, but was stabbed. The attack ended when the father of the family heard his wife screaming, ran to help, and managed to overpower Ahmed.
Residents of the area have called on the government to assist migrants – away from Tel Aviv. They say illegal entrants should be housed in their own temporary cities near the border, not in struggling neighborhoods in Israel’s urban centers.
