Israel – Religious leaders fear that a civil war is only a matter of time, following settler violence in the West Bank. Israel’s Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger on Tuesday strongly condemned the attack on the Ephraim Brigade commander near the outpost of Ramat Gilad, which left him and his deputy injured.
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The chief rabbi called on the law authorities to “use a firm hand against the rioters.” According to Metzger, “Damaging IDF property is a horrible defamation of God. Nothing justifies such a violent act, especially when it is directed at the IDF and its soldiers, who sacrifice their lives to protect the people of this country.”
Military Chief Rabbi Brigadier-General Rafi Peretz denounced what he defined as “crimes of revenge of any kind.” He clarified that such actions, which spark unnecessary internal wars and harm the foundations of Israel as a sovereign state, must not be forgiven.
Rabbi Peretz added that price tag activities were forbidden by Halacha and that he expected Religious Zionism rabbis to strongly denounce them.
Former Military Chief Rabbi Avichai Ronsky said “Although we do not support such activity in any way, the State must work to lower the flames, as this may eventually lead to a brothers’ war.”
Samaria’s Chief Rabbi Elyakim Levanon slammed the conduct of the government and its leaders, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, “who are toughening their stance, and as a result, prompting extremists to do inconceivable things. There is no reason to threaten to evacuate outpost, while a solution can be reached anywhere.
“This is violence and this is violence,” he added. “There is violence against Jews on the part of those young extremists who run wild, and there is the violence of the Israeli government against peaceful and quiet settlers.”
As a start, the police should throw this self-appointed “chief rabbi” of the west bank (Elyakim Levanon) into jail for inciting violence against the government and even consider expelling these fanatics from EY. This violence against the IDF has gone too far and must be responded to with an iron fist.
The Israeli govt. is guilty of crimes against humanity in its continued destruction of the homes and lives of its most loyal and idealistic citizens, the inhabitants of Yehuda, Shomron, and Gush Katif. The govt. wants to continue the wanton destruction of these loyal Jews’ homes and livelihoods without facing any show of resistance. When these holy, idealistic people who sacrifice themselves for Torah and Eretz Yisrael, and yes, the IDF, finally refuse to continue to be the silent victims of these crimes, the government paints them as troublemakers and terrorists who deserve to be dealt with with the harshest punishments such as administrative detention (imprisonment without legal counsel). The real solution is simple: stop the senseless destruction! Stop bowing to the European NGO’s and Peace Now! Stop siding with the international forces of anti-Semitism! Chanuka is coming. Let us merit to witness soon few defeating the many, and the evil in the hands of the righteous.
If you dont provoke, they wont fight
What do expect after the government constantly degrades and expells thousands of Jews from their homes so Hamas can move in and launch missles at them.The govenment better wake up and stop perscuting jews in Judea and samaria as this could become the Jewish spring in Israel. Its time or a change in Israel!
The government may have made many mistakes, but none of this is an excuse for violence. Not violence against the IDF, and not violence against (law-abiding) Muslims.
A brothers’ war…you mean, like what happened after the incident of pilegesh begiv’oh? Sometimes, what’s right is right.
The government decides which settlers in Judea/Samaria can or cannot live there.
This would be fine and good IF we are talking about an eventually 2-state solution.
Given that the new state would not be allowed to carry arms (or else they would just lob grenades over the new border, never mind missiles) and given that the blood-thirsty Arabs will never agree to a demilitarized state, what’s there to talk about?
Jews should be allowed to settle anywhere in Judea/Samaria. Period.
According to the government , they can only settle on existing cities. How do you think those cities were initially build? One house at a time, that’s how.
Get my drift, folks?
It’s amazing how blind everyone is.
This problem is only going to get bigger and bigger. The settlers would not give the palestinians a state if they were a peaceful people either..because for them it’s a holy crusade. They see the exile as over and are no longer bound by the Yaakov Avinu doctrine of how to deal with Eisav in exile.
Any time the word “holy” is inserted into the dialogue then the dialogue is over because both sides become bogged down in their “holy” mission and will not compromise.
A democratic country can not tolerate such a presence in their midst.