*Benzi Gopstein has called for a ban on Christmas celebrations in Israel* - *Anti-racism activists demand probe after he calls Christians 'vampires'* - *Comes after Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah threatened jail for those celebrating festivities*
By JULIAN ROBINSON <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Julian+Robinson> and IMOGEN CALDERWOOD FOR MAILONLINE <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Imogen+Calderwood+For+Mailonline> PUBLISHED: 09:50 EST, 22 December 2015 | UPDATED: 11:50 EST, 22 December 2015 - - - - - <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3370494/Jewish-extremist-calls-Israel-ban-Christmas-following-Sultan-Brunei-s-decision-jail-Muslims-celebrate-festivities.html#email> - <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3370494/Jewish-extremist-calls-Israel-ban-Christmas-following-Sultan-Brunei-s-decision-jail-Muslims-celebrate-festivities.html#socialLinks> *326*shares 7 View comments <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3370494/Jewish-extremist-calls-Israel-ban-Christmas-following-Sultan-Brunei-s-decision-jail-Muslims-celebrate-festivities.html#comments> A Jewish extremist has called for Israel <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/israel/index.html>to ban Christmas - days after the Sultan of Brunei's decision to jail Muslims who celebrate the festivities. Israeli anti-racism activists have called for an investigation after Benzi Gopstein urged a ban on Christmas celebrations in the country and called Christians 'vampires'. It comes after the super-rich ruler of Brunei told residents of his country that if they plan on celebrating December 25, they could face up to five years in jail. [image: Jewish extremist Benzi Gopstein has called for Israel to ban Christmas - days after the Sultan of Brunei's decision to jail Muslims who celebrate the festivities] +8 Jewish extremist Benzi Gopstein has called for Israel to ban Christmas - days after the Sultan of Brunei's decision to jail Muslims who celebrate the festivities Gopstein, who heads the far-right Lehava organisation and has been arrested a number of times, made the comments in an article on the ultra-Orthodox Jewish website Kooker. 'Christmas has no place in the Holy Land,' wrote Gopstein, who lives in a Jewish settlement in Hebron in the occupied West Bank. He spoke of the 'fall of the line of defence of the Jewish people for hundreds of years against our enemies, the Catholic Church.' RELATED ARTICLES - Previous <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3370494/Jewish-extremist-calls-Israel-ban-Christmas-following-Sultan-Brunei-s-decision-jail-Muslims-celebrate-festivities.html#> - 1 <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3370494/Jewish-extremist-calls-Israel-ban-Christmas-following-Sultan-Brunei-s-decision-jail-Muslims-celebrate-festivities.html#> - Next <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3370494/Jewish-extremist-calls-Israel-ban-Christmas-following-Sultan-Brunei-s-decision-jail-Muslims-celebrate-festivities.html#> - Would YOUR boss do this? Chinese company chairman climbs... <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/peoplesdaily/article-3368883/Would-boss-Chinese-company-chairman-climbs-1-000-feet-dressed-Santa-bring-staff-Christmas-cheer.html>Defiant Christians in the Middle East risk punishment by... <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3362343/Defiant-Christians-Middle-East-post-festive-photos-MyTreedom-Facebook-page.html> SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share 'The mission of those vampires and bloodsuckers remains. If Jews cannot be killed, they can be converted,' he wrote. 'We must remove the vampires before they drink our blood once again.' The Coalition Against Racism in Israel and others have called on authorities to investigate Gopstein. In August, Israeli police questioned Gopstein after he condoned torching churches amid an uproar over recent hate crimes, including the firebombing of a Palestinian home that killed a toddler and both his parents. On June 18, an arson attack occurred at a shrine on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel where Jesus is believed to have performed the miracle of loaves and fishes. [image: Banned Christmas: Oil-rich Brunei has banned public celebrations of Christmas for fear of Muslims being led astray. Pictured, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah] +8 Banned Christmas: Oil-rich Brunei has banned public celebrations of Christmas for fear of Muslims being led astray. Pictured, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah [image: There may be no Christmas in Brunei - but there is at the nation's leader's Beverly Hills Hotel] [image: The Sultan owns the Dorchester Collection of hotels. The chain’s two American hotels are the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel Air.] There may be no Christmas in Brunei - but there is at the nation's leader's Beverly Hills Hotel. The Sultan owns the Dorchester Collection of hotels including the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel Air. Israeli prosecutors have charged three Jewish extremists in that case. Lehava claims to fight for Jewish identity, in particular by opposing marriages between Jews and gentiles. Yesterday, it was reported how the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, has banned the public celebration of Christmas fearing the religious holiday will affect faith in the country. Any Muslims caught celebrating Christmas, and non-Muslims who are discovered organising celebrations, could face a lengthy prison sentence. While non-Muslims are allowed to celebrate the holiday within their own communities, they must not disclose their plans to the nation's Muslims – which make up 65 per cent of the 420,000-strong population. [image: The Los Angeles property, owned by the Sultan's Dorchester Collection, is covered in Christmas decorations - which would land a Brunei resident in jail] +8 The Los Angeles property, owned by the Sultan's Dorchester Collection, is covered in Christmas decorations - which would land a Brunei resident in jail Around 20 per cent of Brunei's residents are non-Muslim, including substantial Buddhist and Christian communities. 'These enforcement measures are…intended to control the act of celebrating Christmas excessively and openly, which could damage the aqidah (beliefs) of the Muslim community,' said the Ministry of Religious Affairs in a statement. The small Borneo nation prohibits propagating religion other than Islam to a Muslim, and breaking this is a violation of the penal code. Other banned activities include putting up Christmas trees, singing religious songs and sending Christmas greetings, reported the Borneo Bulletin <http://borneobulletin.com.bn/muslims-prohibited-from-celebrating-christmas-imams/> . 'Some may think that it is a frivolous matter and should not be brought up as an issue,' the imams are quoted as saying in the Bulletin. 'But as Muslims…we must keep it [following other religions' celebrations] away as it could affect our Islamic faith.' Some Burnei residents, however, are risking jail time by still celebrating Christmas and uploading pictures to social media as part of a #MyTreedom campaign that celebrates religious freedom. [image: The Dorchester Hotel in London is similarly bedecked for the Christmas season] +8 The Dorchester Hotel in London is similarly bedecked for the Christmas season [image: Harsh: The tiny state of Brunei on the island of Borneo is ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and relies on oil and gas exports for its prosperity] +8 Harsh: The tiny state of Brunei on the island of Borneo is ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and relies on oil and gas exports for its prosperity [image: Religion: Around 35 per cent of Brunei's residents are non-Muslim, including substantial Buddhist and Christian communities. Pictured here is the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and Clock in Brunei] +8 Religion: Around 35 per cent of Brunei's residents are non-Muslim, including substantial Buddhist and Christian communities. Pictured here is the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and Clock in Brunei Imams have told followers to abide by a government edict banning celebrations that could lead Muslims astray and damage their faith The tiny state on the island of Borneo is ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and relies on oil and gas exports for its prosperity. The nation embraced a harsh new penal code in April 2014, led by 68-year-old Bolkiah. At the time, he said: 'Today I place my faith in and am grateful to Allah the almighty to announce that tomorrow,Thursday, May 1 2014, will see the enforcement of Sharia law phase one, to be followed by the other phases.' The change means people can face conviction by Islamic courts and fines or jail terms for a range of offences such as pregnancy outside marriage, failure to perform Friday prayers and propagating other religions. A second phase of the law comes into effect in May this year covering theft and alcohol consumption by Muslims, which would be punishable by whipping and amputation. The death penalty, including death by stoning, will be introduced in the final phase a year later for offences such as adultery, sodomy and insulting the Koran or the Prophet Muhammad. Beverly Hills to Brunei: Change anti-gay laws or sell hotel Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% 00:00 Play Mute Current Time0:00 / Duration Time2:17 Fullscreen Need Text [image: The Sultan lives in the Istana Nurul Imam, also the seat of Brunei government (effectively the sultan and his family). The palace has over 1700 rooms and 350 toilets. The Istana is pictured here when the Sultan's daughter Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah and her groom were presented to the royal court in 2012] +8 The Sultan lives in the Istana Nurul Imam, also the seat of Brunei government (effectively the sultan and his family). The palace has over 1700 rooms and 350 toilets. The Istana is pictured here when the Sultan's daughter Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah and her groom were presented to the royal court in 2012 Most of the laws will also apply to non-Muslims. The Sharia Penal Code calls for the stoning of people who commit a variety of sexual 'crimes' including sodomy, adultery and rape. The strict Islamic law code also includes flogging, stoning and amputation. [image: The Sultan pictured here with his brother Jefri, known for harems and a yacht called 'Tits'] +8 The Sultan pictured here with his brother Jefri, known for harems and a yacht called 'Tits' 'By the grace of Allah, with the coming into effect of this legislation, our duty to Allah is therefore being fulfilled,' the sultan said at a legal conference in Brunei's capital last year. Even before that law was passed, there was a ten year prison sentence for gays. The land of gold-plated mosques and wooden water villages is so rich from its oil and gas resources that no one pays tax. Alcohol is also banned in the nation. Under the Sharia code theft and alcohol consumption are punishable by whippings and amputation. Smoking is also banned in public. The Sultan owns the Dorchester Collection of hotels. The chain's two American hotels are the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel Air. In the spring of 2014, after the move to sharia law, celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres led the charge for massive boycotts at the properties. Despite the no alcohol, no smoking and strict sexual laws in place in Brunei, the Sultan has an infamous playboy brother. Prince Jefri gained notoriety for his harems of beautiful women, his flotilla of luxury yachts including a boat named 'Tits' and his alleged misappropriation of billions of dollars while he was finance minister. The Sultan lives in the Istana Nurul Imam, also the seat of Brunei government (which is effectively the sultan and his family). The palace has a reported 1788 rooms, a 110-car garage, a stable for the sultan's 200 polo ponies, five swimming pools and 350 toilets. Implementation of Sharia law was denounced by United Nations Commission on Human Rights and also is concerning to Western workers in the oil sector and the tens of thousands of ethnic Chinese Bruneians and 30,000 mostly Roman Catholic Filipino migrant workers living in Brunei. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3370494/Jewish-extremist-calls-Israel-ban-Christmas-following-Sultan-Brunei-s-decision-jail-Muslims-celebrate-festivities.html#ixzz3v67mKBUp Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter <http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=MailOnline> | DailyMail on Facebook <http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=DailyMail> -- -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. 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