I did fight in the IDF but i would still say Israel survives because G-d protects it , not thanks to the protection of the politicians that dont always seem to defend Israel

What do these Rabbis think? That Israel is risking the lives of our soldiers and killing people for fun? We evacuated Gaza a few years ago in the search for peace. If someone relentlessly calls for your destruction daily and pursues the means to that end it would be incredibly un-Jewish to sit idly by and watch our people die! Are these people so dense that they can not realize that Hamas and those like them are the ones that are preventing peace?!?

No Sunhedrian materila here, thats for sure. #14 you are 100% correct

I am in full support of the Rabbis call for an end to the bloodshed, and for all people of both sides to save lives and live in dignity and peace. Such call is realistic and have a vision. Israel has to work hard to save the peace process before it is too late. It is logical to the average person that all killing will not put an end to the conflict. On the contrary, every action has reaction and heavy handed and show of force by killing innocent people shall not bring peace, but further hatred that can spread through generations. For those who care about the future of their children I say, have mercy for the children of Gaza so that one day they have understanding of the Jewish children right to live in peace and grow in peace and away from further killing and hate. The Israeli government have to understand that the killing machine can never uproot the degninty of those living in Gaza regardless of their ideology or political affiliation. They all agree on one thing, unless the people of Gaza have a dignified living, no peace for people of Palestine or Israel shall have peace.

in the past ynet also referred to this leftist group as "rabbis". as if actual religious people are doing this. these people are not. they are palestinian apologists and not religious by any stretch of the imagination

Where the hell were you during the 8 years your arab brothers were sending rockets into Israel trying to kill Israeli children? Israeli children seem to have no meaning to phoneys such as your self. Your brothers teach hatred as your women wean their children. We see the pictures of the 6 year olds marching with guns symbolicly aimed at Israel. Your soldiers teaching the 10 year old how to use machine pistols with the intent to kill Israelis. Your BS becomes you and your brothers. We have heard all that BS before from your hero Arafat, another terrorist who spoke out of both sides of his mouth. If peace is the desire of the arab world, it knows full well how to achieve it. Rocketry and BS only lead to the type of action now in gaza. The inane comments of a few silly rabbis change nothing.

their lessons. self defense comes before santifyong the life of he who comes to kill you. stupid leftists

These "rabbis" always come out for supporting Arabs, and never for the Jews who are crippled and murdered by these same Arabs. I am really sick of Asherman and his buddies.

We in the GLB community strive for peace and respect our Rabbis

But the IDF where you were a member of . Where was this protecting god during the Shoa ?

I have known Rabbi Asherman for almost 20 years. He has been consistently and steadfastly a defendant of the sanctity of human life - Jewish and others - for that entire time. He has been consistent in his defense of Israel's right to exist and to its right to defend itself. His words here represent me and many Zionists who prefer to see Israel as a modern, democratic and humane Jewish State, rather than one that takes its lessons in humanity from the most oppressive Arab regimes that surround us. He is a shining light in this country that is cursed with excessive self-pity and increasing racism and intolerance. Arik - Hazak V'Matz.

There should be no truce in Gaza until all of Hamas are destroyed. See Psalm 18:38.

These so-called rabbis are not observant Jews, are always sick leftists, and often gay. In my book, they are not rabbis at all. Most admit that they do not even believe in G-d.

"the sanctity of human life" does not trump everything else in all situations. This is simplistic thinking at best, and ideological propaganda at worst, where someone finds a slogan and runs with it. To place human life above everything else at all times is basically Greek thinking, where the human being is the center of everything. A real normative Jew on the other hand acknowledges Hashem (G-d) as the center of everything. Asherman's stance is not Torah and is certainly not the word of Hashem, the wisest man in the world (Shlomo), or the opinion of the Chazal and other talmidim chachamim. I did not know Rabbi Asherman for twenty years, but his responses as quoted have nothing to do with the real situation in Israel, where people constantly have to make decisions to save their own and others' lives. Your comments about racism and self-pity I find insulting and offensive. To dislike people who are trying to kill you is not racism. To defend yourself against harm is not self-pity. I don't agree with your basic premises but in any case no democracy (not the Athenians, not the USA, etc) never kills people and the definition of a democracy does not exclude killing, war, or execution. Think this issue through please.

What kind of "Jews" are YOU? GO JOIN THE IDF, DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE INSTEAD OF THIS BS.

LOOKS LIKE A BUM TO ME. PERHAPS HE ISN'T AWARE OF THE CHABAD HOUSE IN MUMBAI?

iIn a clash among theG-ds, there is but one, the G-d of Israel.

They call themselves Rabbi but actually they are Marxist Anarchists who pretend to be rabbis. Let them live in Sderot and wash their mouth with soap...

No Israeli wants to hurt innocent people. If they do not know that and they feel they need to say that then it tells me they do not have a clue. They do not know us and have preconceived negative ideas about Israel. Let them stick their heads back in the sand.

You write that Arik Ascherman has been a consistent defender of Israel's right to exist. What on earth do this trite expression mean? "The right to exist". Based on what? On the UN? But who gave the UN the right to determine rights? And do Arabs not have the "right" to believe that Israel does not have a right to exist? And if Israel ceases to exist, Chas v'shalom, will it still have the theoretical right to exist that we can console ourselves with?

That he wants an end to this boodshed ? Who does'nt want it ? That life is holy ? Is he wrong ? no , just see that much is allowed by Torah and Halachah to save a life [ we may desecrate Shabbat , we were alowed to eat Treifer during WWII ] And no only allowed , but we had to do it . So what can we reproach this "rabbi" ? MOST of all his 8 year long silence about the terrorists , who murdered more than 500 TRUE innocent Israelis . That's enough to make him and his movement suspicious .

stop killing innocent people,stop this bloodshed .never peace can be brought by violence and humiliation,if israelis were fair with palestinians and treat them in dignity,nobody would fight them,don't ignore that your ancestors used to live with muslims and arabs in peace and tolerance during centuries,why do you kill palestinians shame on you.

Jews were killed , forcefully converted ,maimed,raped,stolen,had to pay islamic taxes when in muslim countries such as algiers If muslim countries were paradise,why did Jews flee them ???

In your view, the real history of the Jewish people did not happen. In your view the Jews are "unfair" and "violent" and the "Palis" are "innocent". However your view is twisted and perverse, only sustainable by ignoring the truth and creating lies instead. And I quote: “The [1929] riots were accompanied by militant Arab slogans such as... ‘Palestine is our land and the Jews our dogs...’ [and] brutal acts by Arabs...such as the killings in Hebron, where small children were tortured by their murderers before being murdered. ..."Shapira, A. 1992. Land and power. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press, (p.174) You degrade even Ynet with your tacky fabrications and you are probably a troll.

I would listen harder to these Rabbis' message if they moved their entire families to Sderot and preached their doctrine of "turning the other cheek" from there. I am not a Mishna/Gemora scholar, but I am sure our sages advocate self-defense.

To all of you with your visceral and angry responses to Rabbi Asherman - most of your messages are devoid of content. "Why doesn't he just go and live in Shderot" doesn't constitute an argument regarding whether he's correct or not. (By the way, he lives in Jerusalem, which has seen many more terrorist casualties than Shderot - but that's irrelevant do all you angry folks). Bottom line, the Rabbi calls for a cease fire and to try and protect all human life - in Shderot or Gaza. And you all fly off the handle and disparage his title, his domicile, his politics. Jews are becoming an angry and intolerant people. They can't even deal with a Jew who has something different to say.

of course u r right! we jews cant deal with a non jew that has something different to say when it's causing so much visceral and stomachal problems! He causes people to puke within other things