Israel braced for protests against treatment of women after girl, 8, is spat on by Jewish extremists

An eight-year-old girl who said she was terrified to walk to school after being spat on by Jewish extremists has highlighted growing anger at the treatment of women in Israel. - Blonde-haired Naama Margolese told the country's Channel Two television she was scared passers-by might hurt her during her journey to her moderate Orthodox school in Beit Shemesh, near Jerusalem. It was a realisation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fears over the actions of ultra-Orthodox groups, as the girl spoke out on a damning report broadcast on Friday. The blonde, blue-eyed child told Israel's most popular weekend news show that she was spat on and verbally abused by ultra-Orthodox men who thought she was immodestly dressed. They wanted her 'to dress like a Haredi', she explained - the Hebrew term for strict, black-coated Jews who are in 'awe' of God. 'I'm afraid I might get hurt or something,' she added.

Global Post: Ultra-Orthodox men rise up in Israel over women's rights