Justice Minister Livni
צילום: גבי מנשה
Chief Rabbi, Justice Minister to meet
Tzipi Livni, Rabbi Shlomo Amar will discuss rabbinic calls on IDF soldiers to disobey orders to evacuate settlements; Livni: ‘rabbis should mind their own business’
TEL AVIV - Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Sefardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar are hoping to produce a joint statement calling on rabbis who fulfill publicly funded roles not to endorse military refusal.
The two are set to meet Monday evening in a bid to issue the statement, which refers to rabbis who fulfill publicly funded roles.
Also participating in the meeting will be Attorney General Menahem Mazuz and Chief Prosecutor Eran Shender, and Shai Nitzan, head of the Justice Department’s incitement department.
Mind your own business
Livni initiated the meeting in light of the rise in the number of rabbinic statements on the subject of disengagement.
During the meeting, she is expected to stress that political pronouncements by a rabbi in a public role—especially those to refuse military orders—are a violation of the law.
Livni said rabbis should “mind their own business,” and said as state employees rabbis are forbidden from commenting on political affairs.
Change in policy
Previously, Mazuz has not taken a strong position against rabbis who call on soldiers to refuse orders, and he said earlier this month he felt the message should be conveyed in the public and social arena.
But observers said Monday’s meeting could signal a change in that policy.
