'Santa Claus' who criticized Israel fired

According to a report in the New York Times, Ken Dorph, who lives in the village of Sag Harbor, was asked to play this role voluntarily every year at the village's Christmas events due to his resemblance to Santa Claus.

The 70-year-old Dorph's role as Santa Claus was canceled this year due to his stance questioning Israel's position on the Israel-Palestine issue at a meeting.

Receiving an e-mail from the Chamber of Commerce President 3 days before the Christmas celebration in the village, Dorph was informed that he was removed from his post without further explanation, stating that he was "too outspoken" for this job.

'TEMPLE ADAS ISRAEL' CONGREGATION REQUESTED THE DISMISSAL

 It later emerged that some members of the congregation had requested his dismissal due to his stance questioning the Israeli government's position at an event about the Israel-Hamas crisis that Dorph attended on November 30 at the synagogue named "Temple Adas Israel" in the village.

It was stated that members of the synagogue congregation pressured the village's chamber of commerce, which organizes the Christmas celebrations, via e-mail and requested that someone else be found to replace Dorph.

It was reported that Dorph, at the meeting in question at the synagogue, "questioned the policies of the Netanyahu government in Israel, brought up the illegal Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank of Palestine, and expressed that he found the ongoing attacks on Gaza heartbreaking and wanted peace."

DORPH: IF WE ARE TO HAVE A DEMOCRACY, WE MUST BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT BEING PUNISHED

Regarding the meeting in question, Dorph told the NYT, "I didn't curse at anyone, I didn't threaten anyone. If we are to have a democracy, we need to be able to have these conversations, even if they are heated debates, without being punished."

Stating that he is not resentful toward anyone for losing his "Santa Claus" role, Dorph noted that although he found this incident "disheartening," he is proud to express the stance he believes in and will continue to share his views with everyone. 

News Source: 12punto