The present mood in Israel vis-a-vis the balance of secular and religious political activism is subdued in comparison to the cultural activism. Their is a real hostility among secular Israelis who see their Haredi neighbours exerting special priviliges. If it were not for the greater hostility hovering in the hearts and minds of Arabs the people of Israel would engage in a lot more hostility towards one another. Two hundred years of archaeological research has checked the divinity of the Torah's account of Israelite history and the result is not good for people who take the Torah literally. How educated are Israel's rabbis??? I think that the letter of the law needs to be reinterpreted by religious and secularist alike. The truth is the religious belief in Israel's divinity is wrong. The Christians took the Torah literally for Jesus Christ and look what happened. The Holocaust was the last word on the Christian reading of divinity. The State of Israel is a Republic for all Jews but let's have a proper reading of the law and proceed from a position of qualified expertise. Peace and prosperity mean different things to different people but we all have a hand in material things don't we. Spirituality is the State today can be improved if the State acts to ensure Israeli children get a proper archaeological education.

Settlers, rightists, they are the violent ones, the lawbreakers who assault and kill fellow Jews. They are the nation's worst enemy. But the buck stops with this government for encouraging and condoning these crazies, these criminals.

From reading everyones talk back comments, the author is correct. It seems as though one can not made some sort of social critique without being labeled as 'anti-semitic', 'nazi', 'leftist', 'rightist', 'idiot'. It seems that after 2,500 years, countless wars, take-overs and enslavements, we Jews still have not learned to treat each other as we would want to be treated. Looks like we have a LONG ways to go. -Aharon Judean Peoples Front

The radicals are increasing in numbers and they have full rights . This is more dangerous then Hamas

The Torah should BE the law in Israel. This is, after all, the Jewish country and Torah is what it is all about. But the leftists in charge put their laws above the Torah and persecute the Jews actually practicing Judaism in this Jewish country. The leftists don't want to observe Shabbat, even minimally. They cannot even stop to light Shabbat candles. With the hundreds of thousands of non-Jewish, Jew- disliking citizens (a gift from the left), the million Jew-hating righteous Arab citizens, the Messianic "Jews" and other minorities enjoying their lives the Jews have provided for them, Israel is being taken over from within. The rabbi did nothing wrong. You just hold him to a different standard because you hate anything remotely Jewish, except bagels and gefilte fish and maybe Jackie Mason. Being able to order shrimps or ham sandwiches, play soccer on Shabbat and eat bread on Pesach. These are your essentials. Why are the police not arresting Tibi and Zoabi and most of the Imams? Why are they not arresting the countless rabid Israel-hating university professors? why? Why aren't the Russian Christian women (brought here under law of return for Jews! - gift of the left) who harrass me with Christian literature and try to convert me as I walk along a street in Haifa ON SHABBAT, arrested? Because you are trying to rid Israel of anything remotely Jewish. It is absolute insanity that reigns this country. Singing our anthem, wearing a magen david pendant, carrying an Israeli flag in our country where there happens to be an Arab standing, can be called a provocation and land a person in Jail. Yet we Jews must listen to the irritating, pervasive, non-stop loudspeakers several times a day, loudly broadcasting the whining, whailing Arabic of the Islamic folks that are undermining this country every minute of the day.......the relatives of those just over our borders who threaten to annihilate us all. But hey, don't worry about them. Just focus on a scholarly, elderly rabbi who speaks the truth. He is Jewish so fair game.

As the author himself writes, there may have been "hundreds" of rioters, but that's it. The vast majority of the religious community in Israel is like that of the vast majority of the secular and traditional communities in Israel: not interested in a physical violent confrontation. Is there a critical mass on the religious side that would actually support thousands of people taking the law into their own hands? No. Not even close to it.

#2. Freeom of speech is NOT unlimited. You have no right to incite violence or murder. #3 CC: You blame others instead of looking in the mirror. #12. "Israel was established to be a state where Jews who practice their religion can feel comfortable doing so." But everyone here seems to think that only HIS/HER brand of Judaism is the 'true' one. People say be tolerant "as long as you practice the way I want you to practice." #35. "The Torah should BE the law in Israel. This is, after all, the Jewish country and Torah is what it is all about. But the leftists in charge put their laws above the Torah and persecute the Jews actually practicing Judaism in this Jewish country. " Who says there is only YOUR type of Judaism? You and many others. Problem is you are Wrong. If you don't want to be dictated to, don't dictate to others. The hatred shown in these posts is horrifying. Israel may be headed for civil war...destroying itself from within the same way the Temple was destroyed. Judaism was always known to be tolerant; by the Rambam, etc. No more. Everyone "knows" that everyone else must be like him/her..or they are no good.

A civil war between seculars and religious will bring only one thing: Seperation religion from State ! And then bye bye Israel as a so called Jewish State

I always posted on various occassions that we are nearing a civil war between heridim and seculars. They were never published. Even god said to respect the laws of the country you are staying in. But here they can not accept the law of the vary country god has given to us. No one is stopping them to do whatever they wish, but problem is that they do not work, they bring many children who will not work again and our tax money is flowing in their pockets when what we earn is not enough for us. They are trying to impose their lifestyle on us. Their do and don't are suffocating us. They want segeration, they de-value women, most of time their protests are violent (like buring tyres, breaking street lights, burning garbage tins etc.) and they do not even make efforts to educate themselves with necessary subjects/tool required to get a job. They brain-wash their own generation to become idle and lazy on the name of god. You tell me, does the above description sounds familiar?? Ofcourse, it the the initial stage of taliban... Even they just started like this only and now the whole world is paying price. Just imagine what will happen to Israel with these people very alike taliban? We will turn into another afganistan.....May god help us ....

They will sale the Israel for their own purposes.

If a rabbi in the US said and wrote exactly what Rav Lior said and wrote, it would be perfectly legal. It is freedom of speech / the press. Free expression is only a crime when it a constitutes a direct call to violence. Rav Lior issued no directives. He merely stated his understanding of Jewish law. REPEAL THE INCITEMENT LAW! Or at the very least, apply the law equally to all Israeli citizens, and arrest Muslim leaders when they extol the virtues of jihad.

I was very disappointed to see YNet publish such a one sided ,uninformed, Chareidi bashing article.

The signs of the radicalization of the ultra religious here are everywhere. All of the rituals and idolization of mortal rabbis mask the intolerance these so called religious have. They have much more in common with radical Islam that they would admit to. Being religious should mean first and foremost being goood and tolerant of your fellow man---that is lost by too many of these followers.

The status quo is unacceptable. One the one hand, there are the seculars, who are here because this is their nation's homeland and the land their ancestors lived in. On the other hand, the religious are here because this is their religion's homeland and the land they believe god promised their ancestors. A great solution. 2 states. One secular, one religious. Judea to get the Jerusalem district and Judea and Samaria. Israel to get everything else. Let the Religious right deal with Palestine themselves without secular interference from Tel Aviv, and let the seculars prosper without having to support giant Haredi families in Beiter Ilit and Modiin Ilit.

Jews don't have religious freedom.

How dare you. I only hope that the young Jews of Israel go back to modesty. If you think that the sleazy, skin tight, show-everything clothing our young women wear is liberating then you are truly depraved. Though I am not "religious" (probably just too lazy), I admire the young women who attend school in the modest skirts and blouses. Some of the clothing found on young women here is disgraceful and gives the women the appearance of streetwalkers. Without a doubt, visitors to this country think the same. It is an embarrasment to the Jewish community. Many of the girls are FSU, not Jewish, and with no interest in either in being Jewish nor living in this countryr. (They are here for the benefits they receive and because they cannot get a visa to Canada or USA)

'a rabbi is above the law, we are now told' - NO! we have Torah and Rabbi confused. I think we are being told 'The Torah is not above the law, the Torah IS the law - G-Ds law'. 'Secular Israelis would not imagine the possibility of staging riots in the capital because of an “unjust arrest.' - If the unjust arrest was because of an assault on secular law, or somebody upholding that law, seculars have historically done just this - these are the reasons governments get overthrown. In fact, this article itself is a form of public protest and an incitement to do so - the author should be questioned. '“Torah has been arrested,” implying that a human being, Rabbi Lior, symbolizes the essence of Judaism.'. Completely missed the point here, the meaning would be, an assault on the scholars of the law can be likened to an assault on the law itself. It is because of ignoramus and inflaming authors such as this, that I will never return to this publication. I advise others to do the same. Goodbye!

try to dictate to the majority you will have chaos and a civil war!

Mister Walt you worry about our great religion that you seem to be knowledgable in... "Indeed, the Jewish religion that for so long symbolized wisdom and humanism is increasingly sinking into darkness, crude intolerance and boorish fanaticism." You blame bus gender separation, soldiers not willing to hear female singer..... But people who on national TV calling nation to eat pork, welcome gay parade in Jerusalem, desecrate Shabbat are best friends of Jewish Religion? May be because of people like you Jews in the Jewish State have to fight to stay Jews??

It appears the comments here are very divided indeed. The secular are paranoid about religious wackos taking over the country, and the Torah observant Jews would like to see them go. My personal opinion is that specular Jews can't opt-out of the covenant fast enough. For the love of Hashem I'd like to see all Jews increase their knowledge of Torah. I believe the state of Israel is going through a demographic change, and I think the outcome will be positive. Secular have no useful knowledge which comes from the Torah. Faith, hope and love; those are the 8th century mythological ideals the gentile nations. When one thinks about the origins of the Jewish nation, the nation came into existence from a covenant with HaShem. Seculars need to think about their stiff-neck roots and the G-d of Avraham.

the backwater hate filled garbage coming out of the religious rightists. I love how the religious try to own this land, the original Zionists built this country and the secular obey the law, even the religious do, it'd these out of control - law breaking thugs preaching murder like an Imam in Gaza that are the horrid disease of this country. you believe in law and order, you think you're better than others for being who you are, well then stop acting like barbaric heathens

The haredim are getting stronger and they know it. Eventually - perhaps even by 2050, they will be the majority of the population. Think what that means..........a haredi president, a haredi PM, Shas controlling the ministries of interior, education, transport, communication, justice, finance. Seculars will flee the country, making the situation even worse. The haredim will be obliged to serve in the army and work in hi-tech as there will be no-one else to do so, otherwise the arabs will just walk in and take over. It is inevitable as they have such a high birth rate. Israel as was and as we knew it is unfortunately a thing of the past.

NO 3 WHAT A LOAD OF BULLSHIT .

Let me reflect for a sec; now its done. Ygal Walt has the uncanny ability to raise the spectre of a "civil war" in Israel on the ground of religious "intolerance" from one side, and the "fascistic liberalism" on the other; overlooking the socio-geography of the Israeli population, where Tel Aviv is the Centre of Secularism while Jerusalem is the City of the NEW NETUREY KARTA. Well in those terms, nothing will attract Mr. Walt attention, the fact that the "Ultra Fascist" are Ashkenaze, and the "the Intolerant TROOPS" are Sepharads, since they are mostly the poor and the downtrodden ones in these battles of TA V. JM. Here is the bastion of futuer civil wars, if Ygal will give his analyses to this reality in Israel.

Israel is one of the few Western countries which bothers to censor religion. .

"They are here for the benefits they receive and because they cannot get a visa to Canada or USA" And so what??? Go back and live in your 5th century in your yard Julie...

The haredim are getting stronger and they know it. Eventually - perhaps even by 2050, they will be the majority of the population. Think what that means..........a haredi president, a haredi PM, Shas controlling the ministries of interior, education, transport, communication, justice, finance. Seculars will flee the country, making the situation even worse. The haredim will be obliged to serve in the army and work in hi-tech as there will be no-one else to do so, otherwise the arabs will just walk in and take over. It is inevitable as they have such a high birth rate. Israel as was and as we knew it is unfortunately a thing of the past.