28 Dec 2011

Israeli president condemns ultra-Orthodox extremism

7:04 am on 28 December 2011

Israel's president, Shimon Peres, has urged Israelis to stand up against the behaviour of ultra-Orthodox Jews who want to enforce segregation between men and women.

Mr Peres was speaking as hundreds of people are taking part in a protest in the town of Beit Shemesh against the way some ultra-Orthodox Jews treat women.

There have been two days of clashes in the town after a girl said she had been harassed on her way to school.

Women and girls in the town have been harassed by groups of ultra-Orthodox men, who accused them of dressing immodestly.

Mr Peres says a minority of the country is behaving outrageously and violating national solidarity.