Jerusalem – The naming of an Orthodox Jew to head Israel’s internal security service has touched off domestic tensions, with leftists seeing a boon for hardline West Bank settlers and a rabbi warning of anti-religious incitement.
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Yoram Cohen, a former Shin Bet deputy director nominated for the top job on Monday, was commended across the political spectrum for professionalism in a career tracking suspected Palestinian militants, Lebanese guerrillas and Iranian agents.
Yet commentators focused on the fact Cohen, a graduate of a nationalist seminary, would be the first security chief to wear a skullcap — badge of piety in the mostly secular Jewish state.
Cohen’s rival for the promotion had, unlike him, overseen crackdowns on Israeli settlers suspected of anti-Arab violence designed to scupper any withdrawals from the occupied West Bank. Newspapers further reported that pro-settler rabbis had lobbied rightist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the Shin Bet post.
Amir Oren, analyst for the liberal Haaretz daily, quoted an unnamed settler as saying Cohen would bring “pride to the community”. Oren noted several recent Netanyahu appointments of senior Orthodox aides, including the national security adviser.
“They come from a religious background similar to Cohen’s — separate and unconnected dots that somehow line up,” Oren wrote. Pious Jews are a growing minority in Israel with an outsized representation among settlers, right-wing politics and combat units in the conscript military. The phenomenon often occasions secular soul-searching about the country’s future character.
While the bulk of the Shin Bet’s secret counter-espionage and counter-terrorism duties is aimed at Arabs, over the last two decades its “Jewish Division” has tackled pro-settler violence and in turn taken flak from Israeli ultranationalists.
Avi Dichter, a former Shin Bet director turned lawmaker said “Whether or not you wear a skullcap doesn’t interest the far-rightists. What interests them is whether you discern their violent, provocative and sometimes terrorist activity,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter what you have on your head — skullcap or top-hat, or nothing. They will try to persecute you.”
Rabbi Chaim Druckman, mentor for the settler movement, said he had spoken with Netanyahu about the Shin Bet succession but only to ensure “all worthy candidates” were being considered.
If it causes such a broigas, maybe he should just not wear the kipah while at work. There needs to be 100 percent confidence and trust in the director of shin beit and the kipah should not become a sideshow that diverts attention from his critical responsibilities.
What a sad state of affairs that in a place where the Jewish population is the majority and always should be that someone might consider the wearing of a kippah to be a “side show”. Really. Cmon.
In any democratic country, such anti-kipa antics would be termed discrimination, and subject to human rights violation.
As the article itself point out, it’s not the kippah but what it represents. The left is concerned that a frum guy is in charge.
The mesorah is the only reason for our existence.
liberals are very liberal except to anybody to the right of them. Liberals get use to it
you don’t have kids and you are loosing the war. The orthodox and the haredi are going and if you don’t like it you will have to go chutz laeretz where maybe the one or two children will intermarry and this should make you extremely happy. The mizrachi which I am not a member of have been discrimated enough in the army. If they are qualify they should be promoted; and if you don’t like it go and have more children. The orthodox vote with bodies the liberals vote with there travel. Go take another trip like to Turkey where they hate you
For crying out loud, a government official in a Jewish state who wears a kippah to work should not be cause for alarm! If he’s willing to do the job according to the law, and he’s good at it, let him wear a streimel if he wants!
the entire article from rueters is so slanted,so anti israel and leftist ,it’s rediculous.
The truth is most people in Eretz Yisrael keep some sort of Yiddishkeit even if it is their own brand. Most people have a seder even though it is not al pi din. Most people don’t care whether you wear a kippah or not; however if they do care then that is a real serious problem. If you are so against Judaism then what are you doing in Eretz YIsrael? Originally they want the zionist to move to Uganda, for those people who are so against the Kippah they should have chose Uganda. I am not a mizrachi
but I can understand them, I just can’t understand the self hating Jew. I have lived in many places but have not see the division as in Eretz Yisrael. I as a charedi Jew have no problem getting along with Hashomer Hatzair chutz LaEretz but in Eretz Yisrael it seems this is not very highly likely. It goes back to the principle when you have 2 Jews you have 3 opinions. I wish the new head that Hashem watches over him; gives him great knowledge to protect my fellow Jews
Let’s not fool ourselves. The Israeli government would never give a high-ranking, sensitive post to a frum Jew, especially one who shows it in public. Rather this is a ploy by the Shin-Bet. This man is a decoy, so the Palestinians won’t know who the real head of the department is…..
Why doesnt anyone mention the ARAB GARB their leaders wear in public?
That is OK???
because they do what they think is right and dont think twice about it!!