Debunking various pedophilia accusations against Jews/Israel
Sex offenders map, metzitza b'peh, talmud quotes, random facebook posts, rapes etc.
Claim: Israel sex offender map
Explanation:
This map is actually of Red Alert sirens that are used to warn of rockets.
Also the idea that there is as high population of child molesters living in the Negev as in Tel-Aviv is laughable. Check a population density map for comparison.
Does an image of a map with a cluster of red location pins show the locations of sex offenders in...
2.
Even if the map was indeed a real map of sexual offenders, it would be silly to use if we consider the following:
Israel is densely populated and the markers for each person are as big as a town. You will see the same pattern for every region, for example look at Florida map.
Consider that their population is over 9 million, If we were to paint Israel's map with 1200 of those red dots (which is the official number), it would be 0.01% of their population, which is on the low-end of averages. (Examples: England + Wales are 0.3%, Florida is 0.15%)
There are 2 million Arabs living in Israel, and they might make a big portion of sex offenders.
https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/11-countries-with-the-highest-rates-of-child-abuse-in-the-world-353626https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/child-sexual-abuse-top-5-countries-highest-rates-1436162https://www.tbsnews.net/world/countries-highest-rape-incidents-144499
Claim: Jews vs Catholic Priests
Explanation:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_abuse_cases_in_Brooklyn's_Haredi_community
(Same link from image)
If we use the correct number from the image's source, the calculation for the Jews would equal 3.2 which would make Jews 3 times less. The calculation is faulty for a plethora of reasons, but even if we use its own sources properly then it would ironically show the Jews as much lower.
(some of the problems would be that the calculation doesn't take into consideration equal time spans, it artificially increased the population of catholic priests, and Haredim are a bad subset group to pick for representing the broader Jewish community since they are seen as very distinct from the rest)
Claim: "Metzitzah B'peh" blood sucking circumcision ritual
Explanation:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1336756/
It isnt official teachings, it was thought back then in medieval times that licking wounds heals them faster (because they observed animals licking theirs) but they started to realize it has risks and endangers life so chief rabbis in the early 1800s already started condemning the practice, and in 1955 the chief rabbi of Israel condemned it too and ever since it has become very rare.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brit_milah
The vast majority of Rabbinical Jewish circumcision ceremonies do not use metzitzah b'peh,⁶⁶ but some Haredi Jews continue to perform it, while traditional Karaites and Beta Israel never practiced it.⁶⁷ ⁶⁸ ⁵⁷
...
Rabbi Moses Sofer, also known as the Chatam Sofer (1762–1839), observed that the Talmud states that the rationale for this part of the ritual was hygienic — i.e., to protect the health of the child. As such, the Chatam Sofer issued a ruling to perform metzitzah with a sponge instead of oral suction in order to safeguard the child from potential risks. He also cited a passage in Nedarim 32a as a warrant for the position that metzitzah b’peh was not an obligatory part of the circumcision ceremony.⁸⁰ ⁸¹
(Chatam Sofer was the preeminent leading rabbi of Europe in ~1800, his rulings had a huge impact on law and customs in Orthodox Judaism)
There is a principle in Judaism that pikuach nefesh (the saving of a life) takes precedence over practically all other laws; as the ancient practice of metzitzah b'peh is life endangering, there is really no dispute over the issue; it simply should not be practiced. Ironically though, it was initially introduced because of reasons of pikuach nefesh - it was beleived to lessen the risk to the child given the poor medical knowledge at that time; now that current medical science shows otherwise, there is no religious justification for continuing it.
Only a few ultra-orthodox communities whom are disconnected from the outside world might practice this, but in mainstream Orthodox Judaism, and in Conservative and Reform Judaism, this practice simply isn't a thing.
Claim: Pedophilia in Talmud verses
Explanation:
Talmud is a compilation of rabbinical debates and can easily be taken out of context because they also do devil's advocate in order to further strengthen the moral positions. It is one of the largest document of the ancient world spanning centuries of recorded convos and includes many opposing opinions that are not binding rulings.
The Talmud sages loved the method of bringing topics “ad absurdum” when discussing legalities, just like every legal system has to cover edge cases to sharpen definitions + dealing with extremes.
Side note: personally I don't even care about talmud, but it seems to me it's easier to disprove these specific verse accusations rather than convincing a person that jews arent a monolithic hivemind who use the talmud as a secret guidebook for evil.
Accusation #1:
Ketubot 11b "allows sex with 3 yr olds"
An adult man who engaged in intercourse with a minor girl less than three years old has done nothing, as intercourse with a girl less than three years old is tantamount to poking a finger into the eye . In the case of an eye, after a tear falls from it another tear forms to replace it. Similarly, the ruptured hymen of the girl younger than three is restored.
Explanation:
Context: It's a discussion about whether a child that gets raped at a young age still gets to keep her virgin status, because virgins get higher dowry in marriage contract and other legal benefits such as marrying to priesthood.
Opposing this is immoral, because a girl that loses her virginity to rape before marriage would lose legal benefits and have a unfair disadvantage in that society.
http://talmud.faithweb.com/articles/three.html
Refuting various claims about the Talmud.
Accusation #2:
Sanhedrin 54b "allows sex with 9 yr olds"
Explanation:
Sanhedrin 54b discusses the punishment for perpetrators of different ages. One of the rabbis in the discussion is considering that maybe 9 yr olds and under should have a different capital punishment than adults for the crime of gay sex or bestiality.
It does not permit sex with 9 yr olds, it's discussing punishment for gay sex.
Bonus info:
Instances of Talmud condemning pedophilia:
Kiddushin 41a.8
"It is prohibited for a person to betroth his daughter to a man when she is a minor, until such time that she grows up and says: I want to marry so-and-so. If a father betroths his daughter when she is a minor and incapable of forming an opinion of the husband, she may later find herself married to someone she does not like."
* Notice here it's a clear ruling by rabbinic decree rather than a convoluted discussion of hypothetical scenarios.
Yevamot 44a | Yevamot 101b | Avot D'Rabbi Natan 23:4
a wide age gap between spouses, in either direction, is advised against / considered unwise.
Sanhedrin 76a.23-25, b.2
marrying one's young daughter to an old man was declared as reprehensible as forcing her into prostitution, it is interpreted that Leviticus 19:29 forbids it.
niddah 13b.5-7
"those who marry minor girls who are not yet capable of bearing children" will "delay the coming of the messiah."
Pirkei Avot 5.21
Judah ben Tema says 18 is the ideal age to become married, and before this age one should spend his time studying scripture
(The Talmud refers to Judah and his colleagues as "masters of the Mishnah (talmud laws) Ḥag. 14a)
Sotah 44a.6
First, one should build a house, then he should plant a vineyard, and only then should he get married. ( ... Therefore, the Sages instruct men to postpone marriage until the age of eighteen. )
--
Useful wiki summary:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_relationships_in_Judaism
Claim: Collage of rape headlines
Explanation:
Common tactic is to spam random news headlines that invoke a shock reaction, disregarding that the same can be done for any country (because every country has instances of rape)
Nevertheless this particular collage has been debunked plenty times and I will put my personal notes bellow to provide context for each one.
TLDR:
[1] nuanced, [2] didnt involve palestinians, [8] valid + imprisoned
[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] are completely invalid.
122 years ago in a 'Ask the Rabbi' session (when he wasnt part of the miliary) the rabbi was asked about how Deuteronomy 21:10-14 can justify allowing taking women as captives in battle, his answer was lazy and distasteful but it was fundamentally "the torah permitted what it said under the conditions it permitted in the passage" (and he didnt explain what the passage means) so he never said in the answer that the passage permitted rape because he didnt clarify his interpretation of it, though he also didnt explicitly say in the answer that rape is forbidden in war (hence distasteful, but arguably unnecessary to add since the IDF does not make its decisions based on Torah and the question was a theoretical exercise in understanding a Torah topic). However later he clarified in separate article "Of course rape is forbidden in any situation - halachically and morally. Of course, the Torah never allowed the rape of a woman."
his political opponent conceded as well (maybe to avoid defamation lawsuit):
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid: “Regarding the reports that he said that beautiful gentile women can be raped during wartime, it appears this is not his opinion,” Lapid continued. “But if he thinks this, not only may he not be the chief military rabbi, he can’t even be a rabbi.”
In affidavit the rabbi wrote
"I never wrote, said or thought that IDF soldiers are permitted to rape women in war-time.” he wrote. "I believe it is absolutely forbidden for soldiers to do so. That was my opinion then, and it remains my opinion today."
IDF statement on his behalf:
“wishes to clarify that his words were only uttered in response to a theoretical hermeneutical question, certainly not to a practical halachic question.
“Rabbi Karim never wrote, said, or even thought that an IDF soldier is permitted to sexually harm a woman during wartime,”
2[story from 2006]
13-14 yr old Israeli girl lied about her age and seduced soldiers (individually) over the course of 1 year.
(it wasn't a gang rape as the title suggests, just amount of ppl who are questioned)
(soldiers are typically 18, 19 yrs old, they thought she was 16 17 18 because she said so. One of the defense lawyers stated that she does look like 17 y/o)
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/1,7340,L-3245593,00.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna12580489
3Duplicate, same as #2
4Article: https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/deceased-israeli-soldier-boasted-about-raping-palestinian-woman
The killed soldier is named "Omer Tabib" from Nahal Bridage (died), but the alleged rapist on Twitter is "Omri Ben Lulu" from Medical Corps (still alive) (different persons - different first name, different last name, different badge, etc https://x.com/seokjinaga/status/1393901907337486338)
Ben Lulu in a twitter reply was trolling someone that called him "baby killer and child murderer scum" on twitter.
It is unlikely that Omri had the opportunity to rape a Palestinian woman since he was in a non-combat role (proven by his badge). Likely, he has never seen a Palestinian woman in his life. https://www.fxp.co.il/showthread.php?t=20949604
5
This was about PALESTINIAN PRISONERS sexually assaulting FEMALE ISRAELI GUARDS. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/by0jgvgvs
The Israeli guard accused a Palestinian prisoner of assaulting her, he was not charged because lack of evidence
https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-inmate-suspected-of-assaulting-guards-unlikely-to-face-rape-charge/
6https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Cyprus_rape_allegation_case
First - This had nothing to do with IDF or Palestinians, or Israel (it was a civilian case in Cyprus) so.. how is it related?
Second, she admitted to lying and the alleged rapists were found not guilty - wiki:
they were released without charge and the woman was charged for making a false allegation. In January 2020, the woman was convicted of "public mischief" in a Cypriot court
7https://www.cair.com/cair_in_the_news/israeli-guards-rape-palestinian-women/
Fake silly story from palestinian propaganda website
8valid, guy was convicted of corruption and of course, sentenced to prison.
Bonus, useful links:
Reddit analysis debunking a bunch of rape claims:
Claim: Pedos right of return in Israel
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-jewish-american-pedophiles-hide-from-justice-in-israel/One woman who helps track suspects down says the little-discussed problem is widespread; "the exact same thing" as the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.
Explanation:
the way we know about these pedophiles is by jewish organizations that expose them
(such as Jewish Community Watch + Kol V'Oz + Magen )
then israeli media, and consequently all the english media outlets reported it.
(as in, jews are exposing the pedophiles in their society by bringing it to the front headlines and thats why you're seeing them)
2.
An 1954 amendment to the Right of Return law bans "a person with a criminal past, likely to endanger public welfare” but campaigners say sex abusers are slipping through the net. (Who would've guessed that government services are inefficient if they dont hire on merit or compete in free market)
The article says 32 over the past decade, and israel is criticizing itself over this (because it's a free speech democratic country) If we have priorities, there are neighboring countries such as Jordan averaging 7000 child bride marriages a year.
3.
Among these 32, some have been found innocent abroad, some denied right of return, and many have been extradited:
Example, Kevin Spacey:
accused: https://thecradle.co/articles-id/7652
Hollywood director latest sexual predator to find refuge in Israel
The State of Israel has for decades served as a safe haven for wanted criminals thanks to lax extradition laws and the so-called 'law of return'
A tearful Kevin Spacey was found not guilty on Wednesday by a jury at a London court of committing historical sex offenses against four men
London court found him innocent, acquitted of 9 charges of sexual abuse and rape harassment.comment on TheCradle article:
Rebecca Turner
OCT 16, 2023, 10:44 AM
Well, it certainly seems that the concept of innocence until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt has no place at The Cradle when it covers people accused of sexual offences. Of course they're all guilty! Lots of accusers! Just like with Kevin Spacey, who was 'credibly accused' by numerous people, endured two trials and was found not guilty by both juries.
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4513508,00.html [2014]
After High Court of Justice denies Israeli citizenship to Todros Grynhaus, District Court paves way for deportation.
He violated his bail conditions last year when he went on the run with his wife and children, fleeing Britain with a fake passport. He was arrested in February in Jerusalem after the British police issued an international warrant for his arrest.
Grynhaus hired two Israeli legal teams to fight his deportation by trying to gain Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return, or otherwise seeking to settle in countries that don't have extradition agreements with the UK.
Israeli law only allows formal extradition of foreign criminals, a process that could take up to two years and risk the possibility that Grynhaus could be released from prison during the proceedings.
Grynhaus's lawyers tried to force Britain to use complicated extradition powers rather than allow Israel to deport him back to England, to draw out the proceedings against him.
But District Court Judge Dana Marshak-Marom ruled that Grynhaus's "failed efforts" to avoid being returned to the United Kingdom strengthens Israel's legal authority to deport him and other suspected foreign criminals.
Late last year, the High Court of Justice issued a landmark ruling denying Grynhaus an Israeli citizenship and with that banning other Jewish sex offenders of using the Law of Return to gain citizenship.
Convicted Sex Abuser Rabbi Baruch Lanner Denied Israeli Citizenship
Rabbi Baruch Lanner, a convicted child sex abuser, has been denied the right to Israeli citizenship, a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry said Tuesday.
-
backstory:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-orthodox-rabbis-denounce-israel-for-granting-residency-to-convicted-sex-offender/ [2022]
Baruch Lanner, who served nearly three years in prison for sexually assaulting students, arrived in Israel as a tourist and is now applying for citizenship
( Lanner was sentenced to seven years in prison but was released on parole after three years in early 2008. ⁽²⁾ )
...
According to the Haaretz newspaper, Lanner and his wife arrived in Israel as tourists and submitted their request for citizenship after landing, thereby circumventing the Jewish Agency, which handles citizenship requests in the United States and tends to reject those with criminal records. Lanner had been living in New Jersey and Florida.
Israel arrests man wanted by France for sex crimes
Israeli authorities have arrested a dual French-Israeli citizen after France requested his extradition for a series of sex crimes against minors.
Israeli to be extradited to US for sexual offenses, extortion
An Israeli citizen was reportedly arrested Thursday ahead of his expected extradition to the US on a string of sexual offenses and extortion of young girls.
Extradition upheld for British man accused of sexually abusing stepdaughter
Jerusalem District Court approved a British extradition request for the man to return to the UK for trial. He immediately appealed the decision, but the court on Sunday upheld the original ruling, the Justice Ministry statement said.
Israel: Malka Leifer extradited, heads to Australia to face child sex abuse charges
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/298403 [2021]Sex offender who fled to Israel extradited to US
Kranczer was the principal of a Brooklyn yeshiva before fleeing to Israel, where he did not immigrate or have a residency permit, amid a criminal investigation in 2010. The US Justice Department asked Israel to extradite Kranczer for years, but Israeli authorities tried and failed to find him until January 2020, when he was arrested.
Andrés Roemer, a Mexican author, playwright and former diplomat, was arrested in Israel and will be extradited to Mexico where he is wanted for alleged sex crimes
https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/ex-teacher-sentenced-for-molesting-teenager-at-orthodox-dutch-school/ [2018]Ephraim Schrijver, 30, left the Netherlands in 2012 amid allegations of sexual abuse and was extradited in 2016 ahead of sentencing this week
... The trial shocked the small Jewish community of the Netherlands, which is home to 40,000 Jews.
( The teacher left the Netherlands for Israel after the complaints were filed but before authorities had issued an arrest warrant. ⁽²⁾)
2021 :
AMSTERDAM (JTA) — A Dutch appeals court reversed the molestation conviction of a former teacher at an Orthodox Jewish school.
The Gerechtshof Amsterdam appeals court ruled Monday that there was insufficient evidence to support the 2018 conviction of Ephraim Schrijver, 33, in Rechtbank Amsterdam regional court, De Telegraaf daily reported.