Jerusalem – For the first time on ever a haredi man has been indicted for physically attacking a haredi IDF soldier after charges were issued against Aharon Tzvi Korlandski on Tuesday by the State Attorney’s Office in Jerusalem.
According to the indictment, Korlandski, 34, verbally and then physically attacked the haredi soldier, referred to in the indictment as P.M., while both men were attending the evening prayer service in a synagogue in the haredi neighborhood of Ezra in Jerusalem on August 20.
He has been charged on one count of attacking a public official, one count of insulting a public official, and one count of interfering with a police officer while carrying out his duties.
P.M., who is serving in the IDF’s Shahar program for haredi soldiers, was wearing his IDF uniform when he went to the synagogue.
When Korlandski arrived at the prayer service he noticed P.M. and began shouting “hardak, hardak, get out of here now, take off your yarmulke, what are you praying here for?,” while also inciting other worshipers against the soldier, Hardak is a derogatory term meaning “simple-minded haredi,” and was coined by haredi extremist groups who have waged a fierce campaign of incitement against haredi soldiers and anyone involved in encouraging or recruiting haredi men to enlist to the IDF.
Several other worshipers joined with Korlandski in shouting “hardak” at P.M., one of whom tried to photograph him with their cell phone, who requested several times that he not do so.
Korlandski subsequently approached P.M. and began punching him in the chest and tried to grab his beret off his shoulder. When P.M.’s father tried to intervene, he too was punched and hit in the chest and arm.
Another worshiper, Eliezer Goldis, attempted to intervene and help P.M. and his father. The police were alerted to the altercation and once Korlandski became aware of this he fled the scene.
He was arrested on August 24 and has been in police custody since that date.
While in detention Korlandski has been verbally aggressive and physically attacked some of the prison officials.
At various times during his incarceration, Korlandski called different police officials “a nothing, an imbecile,” “Satan,” “Nazis,” and “the police of Amalek,” a reference to the ancient enemy of the Israelites as recorded by the Bible, while also expressing the hope at one stage that “if only ISIS would come to the state and wipe them out.”
The IDF said in response that it was “doing everything necessary to protect its haredi soldiers and to enable them to serve with honor while continuing their haredi lifestyle and faith.”
The so-called “hardak campaign” has been waged by haredi extremists who fiercely oppose haredi men serving in the IDF.
It takes the form of posters, pamphlets and booklets bearing cartoons and other images which strongly incite against haredi officials involved in promoting IDF service, routinely depicting such people as pigs and malign elements attempting to corrupt haredi youth.
In July, a booklet containing the names, photos and contact details of senior figures in the haredi community who promote enlistment was published by extremists as part of their efforts to harass and delegitimize haredi enlistment and those who are advancing it.
