A racist, messianic rabbi is the ruler of Israel

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By Sefi Rachlevsky, Haaretz


Rabbi of Kiryat Arba municipality, Dov Lior, returned from questioning on charges of incitement after publishing his approval of a book discussing when it is acceptable to kill non-Jews under Halacha, to his well-paid position and teaching at Nir hesder yeshiva. Without dramatic change in these matters, Israel will make all of its laws illegal.

When King Lior parted from the evildoers, who had detained him for an hour of questioning, he turned to Mercaz Harav Yeshiva, where he was borne on the shoulders of those celebrating his messianic kingdom. Once again, he began to use the many official positions that entitle him to tens of thousands of shekels each month, and gave a class at the Nir hesder yeshiva (combining Torah studies with military service ) in Kiryat Arba, which he heads.

During chauvinistic and innocent times there was a saying used by the army: Every Jewish mother should know that she has handed her son over to worthy commanders. During the present time of repression, when the fawning "rule of law" takes prides in delaying kings for a very brief preliminary inquiry, every parent should know the repressed facts about Rabbi Dov Lior, the acting commander of numerous soldiers.

Menachem Livni, who was convicted of murders, headed a terror organization dubbed the "Jewish underground." He testified that the spirit behind the underground was Lior - and not just for his preaching and religious rulings regarding the need to murder Arabs or killing "innocent people." Lior, according to the testimony of the murderer, was involved in the details and decided how and when they would act. Lior pressured the hesitant perpetrators to blow up six buses with all their passengers. The buses were loaded with explosives with the object of killing hundreds. Only the delay enabled the Shin Bet security service to arrest them at the last minute.

The order came down: Lior was not to be arrested, tried or even seriously interrogated. The very belated and slight delay for an hour of questions relating to the book Torat Hamelech (The King's Torah ) is therefore ridiculous. It's even convenient for Lior. He's responsible for more important and extreme books. Lior does not stop at incitement.

Nor does Lior stop at non-Jews. Leading rabbis have testified that Lior was the source of rulings labeling the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin a "rodef" and a "moser" (a traitor who endangers Jewish lives ). Here, too, he didn't stop at incitement. Rabin's assassin used to travel to Hebron to see the rabbi. Baruch Goldstein (who massacred Arabs at the Cave of the Patriarchs in 1994 ) also visited King Lior for instruction. After he massacred dozens of people, the rabbi ruled that Goldstein was "holier than all the martyrs of the Holocaust."

The government is taking action. Twenty-five senior members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, including its chairman and the chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, ruled that a shocking deed had been done. How did they dare to investigate Rabbi Lior? Shocked, they demanded the full force of the law be used against Deputy State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan, who is bringing down the State Prosecutor's Office and the police.

And the ruler of the coalition? Upon returning as a victor from President Barack Obama, he went to Mercaz Harav. The featured speakers endorsed each other. And then the prime minister warmly thanked the rabbi who refuses to be investigated or to explain himself, as Lior and his disciples had given Netanyahu the strength to confront the American president. They are the elite commando unit leading the nation and paving the way, Netanyahu said.

Summer vacation begins today. Yesterday, most of the first graders who are defined in Israel as Jews were attending religious and ultra-Orthodox classes. Many of their educators receive a state salary to preach in the spirit of inflammatory and racist "Torat Hamelech." There's a reason why the "moderate" chief rabbis supported Lior.

It's not a one-hour delay that Israel needs. Without dramatic change here, the government is making all of its laws illegal. As long as hesder yeshivas like Nir are not dismantled; as long as rabbis who identify with Rabbi Lior are not ousted from their jobs; as long as funding for the present religious education is not stopped; as long as Lior's involvement in acts of murder, according to the testimony of the perpetrators, is not prosecuted, the country has no right to demand its citizens serve in the army or pay taxes. Until the change takes place, Israel is not a state.


http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/a-racist-messianic-rabbi-is-the-ruler-of-israel-1.370554