Casablanca – Dr. Mordechai Kedar, an Israeli scholar of Arabic literature and a lecturer at Bar-Ilan University, caused an uproar in the international community by stating that raping women is a way to discourage attacks.
In a Hebrew-language radio show, Bar-Ilan University professor Dr.Mordechai Kedar gave his reflections on what could be done to stop Hamas.
According to a recent transcript published by Haaretz, Kedar said “You have to understand the culture in which we live (…) Terrorists like those who kidnapped the children and killed them-the only thing that deters them is if they know that their sister or their mother will be raped in the event that they are caught. What can you do, that’s the culture in which we live.”
In a statement released to Haaretz, Kedar said he was not encouraging using rape to fight terrorism, but used his declaration merely as an illustration. He wanted to illustrate that there is no means of deterring attacks, and using the rape of women as an example was just hyperbole.
Many people are upset by Kedar’s recklessness. Daniel Herschkowitz from feminist activists in Israel warned that Kedar’s words could encourage “Israel Defense Forces soldiers and Israeli civilians to commit rape, and endanger both Israeli and Palestinian women.”
Kedar is an academic expert on the Israeli-Arab population. His strong character and self-confidence have lead to several appearances on Al Jazeera TV. His recent statement has created a stir that will not easily be forgotten.
Mordechai Kedar talks about how to speak to the Muslims
