Rabbis urge Israelis to revolt against gov't
Prominent religious leaders issue statement in response to Prime Minister Olmert's Sdeh Boker speech warn Olmert 'destroying Jewish state'
Aaron Klein, WND
Published: 12.06.06, 16:57
A group of prominent rabbinic leaders in Israel and abroad yesterday issued a call for Israeli citizens to launch a democratic uprising to bring down the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
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"Out of love for each and every Jew, we call on the people of Israel and its leaders to begin a democratic uprising to immediately replace this government, which constitutes an ominous threat to the nation of Israel," the Rabbinical Congress for Peace, a coalition of over 1,200 rabbinic leaders and pulpit rabbis, said in a statement.
Among the Rabbinical Congress members who signed the statement were Mordechai Eliyahu and Abraham Shapira – both of whom served as chief rabbis for the state of Israel – and Rabbi Meir Mazuz, head of the Tunisian Jewish community in Israel and one of the country's most well-respected rabbis.
The rabbis were responding to a national address last week commemorating the death of Israel's founder and first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, in which Olmert stated he is willing to give up most of the West Bank in exchange for "real peace."
During the speech, Olmert called for immediate negotiations with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Olmert said he would release "many, many" Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal.
The Rabbinical Congress for Peace labeled Olmert's national address a "crime."
"In his deplorable speech, Olmert in essence announced a 'liquidation sale' and collective suicide of the people in Israel including the release of thousands of the most dangerous terrorists from Israeli jails. Israeli citizens must launch a democratic uprising and protest to bring down the government immediately," the rabbis said in a statement.
Continued the statement: "Olmert adheres to the advice of false left-wing 'prophets' instead of adhering to the true prophets as expressed in the Jewish Code of Law that any territorial concession to the enemy will only lead to bloodshed. It will not contribute to calm nor will it promote peace."
Rabbis urge Israelis to revolt against gov't
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