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Rabbi Metzger. Against 'Taliban women'
Photo: Mati Elmaliach
Livni. 'New list of priorities'
Photo: Gil Yohanan

Chief rabbi wishes Livni 'becomes PM'

Rabbi Metzger expresses his support for opposition leader, calls for national unity government. 'I may have been misunderstood,' he says after remarks published

Israel's Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger took part Wednesday in the Sderot Conference for Society alongside Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni, and expressed his hope that she would one day become prime minister.

 

"I wish that, God willing, you will become a member of the government, and perhaps head the government, and if only we had a national unity government," he said.

 

In his address, Metzger lashed out at the "Taliban women" phenomenon in the ultra-Orthodox society. "Allow me to express my grief over the distortion of Jewish mind, the cloak sect, women called 'Taliban' who walk around with cloaks and different covers.

 

"There have been no rulings on this matter as it has not been known in history. There is no such thing as covering one's face and dressing up. This is distortion of Halacha, unless it stems from lack of knowledge or insanity."

 

After his remarks were published, Rabbi Metzger clarified that he did not mean that Livni should become prime minister, only a minister in a national unity government.

 

"I did not mean prime minister," he said. "That wasn't my intention, and I may have been misunderstood."

 

The opposition chairwoman said in her speech that "Israel needs a new list of priorities. We must rethink things and commit to them on the political level as well. We must renew our investment in education, define our common denominator as a society, determine what the State owes its citizens, as well as what the citizens owe the State.

 

"Social justice is not just a slogan, and it includes an equal share of the burden and national military or civilian service for everyone. This isn't against anyone, but in favor of each citizen's ability to feel like they belong and prevent hostility between the different parts of the Israeli society."

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.02.11, 15:00
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