Ben-Ari is reportedly a devotee of the late Meir Kahane and apparently a Jewish version of Rev. Terry Jones. To their credit, the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee have condemned the action.
A Christian member of the Knesset has called for Ben-Ari to be charged with incitement, which I believe is a mistake. Such prosecutions are part of a trend of prosecuting critics of religion. Rather than punish such acts as crimes (under international blasphemy standards or hate crime laws), such acts should be subject to this type of universal condemnation. It is an act of free speech but it is also hateful and disgraceful. Notably, the destruction of the bible did not trigger the type of vandalism and killings often following the destruction of Korans. However, it should result in the censorship of this member by the Knesset.
Ben-Ari later explained his actions by insisting “Millions of Jews were murdered in the name of the New Testament, this revolting book brought massacres of Jews in the [Spanish] Inquisition and throughout history.”
It always impresses me how prejudiced hateful people like Ben-Ari will reach back to find some historical excuse for hating other people or faiths — in this case the Spanish Inquisition.
Despite the criticism of some leaders, the response to Ben-Ari has been rather muted, including from his fellow party members. There is no indication whether he will face a formal sanction for his hate-filled demonstration.
Source: JPost