Israeli Mayor Bars Arab Workers From Construction Jobs After Synangogue Attack

An Israeli mayor is receiving criticism for allegedly banning Arab workers from construction jobs at local preschools following a terrorist attack at a Jerusalem synagogue earlier this week.

Itamar Shimoni, the mayor of Ashkelon, recently barred Israeli Arab workers from reconstructing bomb shelters near Israeli preschools in his town, and also barred them from working on some construction sites that he said would be a security issue.

According to the Associated Press, Shimoni said was enacting the security measure in response to the recent Jerusalem synagogue attack that left four dead when Palestinian attackers entered the place of worship and began stabbing rabbis with meat cleavers, as well as shooting them with a pistol.

"Anyone who thinks this is illegal can take me to court," Shimoni said. "At this time, I prefer to be taken to court and not, God forbid, to attend the funeral of one of the children from kindergartens."

The Associated Press reports that although some are decrying Shimoni's recent move as racist, others are saying it reflects the tense mood in Israel. Just this past summer, Israel and the Gaza Strip engaged in weeks of bombing each other after three Israeli teens were kidnapped and found killed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decried actions such as Shimoni's, saying Israelis must be careful of discrimination during such trying times.

"There's no place for discrimination against Israeli Arabs," Netanyahu said Thursday, according to the Times of Israel. "We mustn't generalize about an entire population because of a small minority of violent and belligerent [individuals]."