Criminal9/11/2026

Rabbi and Activist Charged with Incitement to Racism

The Jerusalem District Attorney's Office filed an indictment against Rabbi Meir David Shmueli and Galit Dorit Kashi for incitement to racism. According to the indictment, Shmueli made statements against Arab medical staff, and Kashi edited and published a video of his remarks.

Key facts

•Court: Jerusalem Magistrate's Court
•Defendants: Meir David Shmueli and Galit Dorit Kashi
•Date of the remarks: December 24, 2023
•Alleged offense: incitement to racism
•Video: 3,145 views and 153 likes
•The case number and statutory provision are not stated

Who Is Accused

The indictment was filed with the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court against Meir David Shmueli, a 30-year-old Jerusalem resident, and Galit Dorit Kashi, a 56-year-old resident of Sde David. Shmueli delivered Torah lessons that were recorded and uploaded, with his knowledge, to the synagogue's website. This is an indictment, not a judgment that has been handed down.

What the Rabbi Said, According to the Indictment

At the center of the case is a lesson held on December 24, 2023, at the Musayof Synagogue in Jerusalem, during the “Swords of Iron” war. According to the indictment, Shmueli claimed that Arab doctors were allegedly deliberately harming Jewish soldiers and killing patients, and also called on people not to trust Arab doctors and pharmacists and not to use the relevant health maintenance organizations. The prosecution believes that the statements were published with the aim of inciting racism.

How the Video Was Disseminated

According to the indictment, shortly after the lesson, Kashi edited the recording and uploaded it to her YouTube channel, which had about 12,000 subscribers. The video, titled “Do Not Employ Enemies—Period!”, accumulated 3,145 views and 153 likes. The opening titles raised the question of why “enemies” are employed by health maintenance organizations, first-aid services, ambulances and pharmacies.

What the Case Is Based On

The indictment was filed by attorney Ariel Iluz of the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office. The two are charged with incitement to racism; the case number and the specific statutory provision are not stated in the source. Complaints against Shmueli had previously been filed by United Arab List MK Walid al-Hawashla and by the Ta'al party, headed by MK Ahmad Tibi, after which the police opened criminal proceedings with the approval of the prosecution. The source does not report the defendants' position, the progress of the proceedings or any judicial decision.

What this means for you

The case illustrates that criminal liability may be examined not only with respect to the author of public statements, but also with respect to a person who edits and disseminates them to a broad audience. The mere filing of an indictment does not indicate guilt: that must be determined by the court. The final outcome of the case is not stated in the source.

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Case analysis based on court rulings