Following the harsh remarks during a press conference in which Defense Minister Moshe Ya�alon called some mispallalim from Beit Knesset Ayelet HaShachar �thugs�, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu defended their honor.

Mr. Netanyahu stated “I strongly protests the defense minister’s accusations against the shul�s mispallalim. The accusations are absurd and baseless, and this slanders the good name of the mispallalim numbering 400 families and tarnishing the good name of all the residents of Givat Ze’ev.

�It seems that the whole point of the defense minister’s remarks is to distract the public to the government�s inability to come to their assistance regarding the imminent demolition of the shul.”

(YWN � Israel Desk, Jerusalem)