Rabbis back PM in face of protests

While some parts of Religious Zionism leadership join housing protest, Netanyahu gains support of leading rabbis, who suggest solving crisis through 'massive construction in Judea and Samaria'

Kobi Nahshoni|Published: 08.04.11 , 15:00

As the Yesha Council, Religious Zionism youth and Bnei Akiva movement officially joined protests against the soaring housing prices on Wednesday, several leading rabbis sent a letter of support to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The new "rabbis' letter" – signed by Rabbis Dov Lior, Elyakim Levanon and David Chai Hacohen, as well as city rabbis and yeshiva heads – urged the prime minister to "solve the housing distress through massive construction in Judea and Samaria."

The rabbis ruled that "the recent protests do have a grain of truth in them, but unfortunately they involve political aspects of attacking and disrespecting our prime minister. We strongly oppose this trend."

'Build across Judea and Samaria'

The rabbis wished Netanyahu that God "will give you the strength, courage and wisdom to deal with the great challenges facing our nation in these difficult times. We support you in your efforts to curb any attempts with our national stregth to uproot us from our land."

The religious leaders advised the prime minister to solve the housing crisis by "massively building on state lands across Judea and Samaria. Such construction will significantly reduce apartment prices and will help scatter the population all over the country."

Wednesday's letter came a day after a different rabbis' letter, also signed by Rabbi Dov Lior, urging the prime minister and finance minister to intervene in the public health crisis and ruling that the doctors' protest is justified from a moral and halachic point of view.