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Wednesday, Jul. 13 '16, ז' בתמוז תשע"ו
HEADLINES:
1. IDF CHIEF OF STAFF SUMMONS RABBI KARIM FOR CLARIFICATION
2. DANON TO ARUTZ SHEVA: 'WE CAN DO MORE IN THE UN'
3. CHIEF RABBIS URGED TO UPHOLD SECULAR STUDIES FOR HAREDI SCHOOLS
4. "AT THIS RATE, SHE'LL BE PRIME MINISTER"
5. RABBI DRUCKMAN: IT'S PURE LIBEL
6. 'IT'S HARD TO FIND A SPANISH PERSON WITHOUT JEWISH BLOOD NOW'
7. STATE DEPARTMENT DENIES INTENTIONALLY FUNDING ANTI-BIBI CAMPAIGN
8. WATCH: ITALIAN CHIEF OF STAFF LANDS IN ISRAEL
1. IDF CHIEF OF STAFF SUMMONS RABBI KARIM FOR CLARIFICATION
by Uzi Baruch
IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot invited the new Chief Rabbi of the IDF, Eyal Karim, to an urgent meeting today in order to explain the intense opposition of the Left to his appointment.
Since Rabbi Karim was appointed to the position, he has faced opposition from both leftist MKs and from journalists demanding a cancellation of his appointment in response to statements the Rabbi made in the past.
On the other hand, Rabbis and MKs from the nationalist camp warn against canceling the rabbi's appointment, asserting that calls to do so are attempts to undermine the Jewish character of the IDF.
Rabbi David Stav, head of the Tsohar organization, supports Rabbi Karim: "The IDF has been blessed with ethical, level-headed man, a fighter, Zionistic, a scholar.
Rabbi Moshe Hager of the pre-military academy in Yatir likewise expressed support for Rabbi Karim: "[His] appointment is excellent [...] I think that the opposition to his appointment stems from marginal factors, from people that don't understand the needs of IDF fighters," he said.
2. DANON TO ARUTZ SHEVA: 'WE CAN DO MORE IN THE UN'
by Yoni Kempinski
[youtube:2017136]
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon spoke with Arutz Sheva about the IDF intelligence he presented to the UN Security Council yesterday (Tuesday).
"Ten years after the Second Lebanon War we showed the UN that Hezbollah have continued their military build-up, transforming villages into military outposts," the Ambassador said, "we asked the UN to take action against this military build-up, because it's only a matter of time before these missiles are used against Israeli civilians in another conflict. We will do whatever is necessary to protect our people."
When asked who in the UN he thinks can be influenced by this information, Danon said "we know here at the UN it's not easy, but we present the information because we believe you can't argue with the facts. When the ambassadors saw the pictures they understood that when the inevitable next conflict comes we will have to take action to retaliate and will be forced to damage those villages."
Danon expressed hope that the UN Security Council will take action against Hezbollah in order to avoid the damage which would be caused by such a confrontation.
The Ambassador was then asked whether, upon reflection on his time in the UN, his role is mainly that of damage control in the face of overwhelming bias and hostility, or whether he thinks that some positive developments can be achieved through the international body.
"I came here to fight, to protect the truth, and to defend Israel; we do this day in and day out. Sometimes we also have victories. 3 weeks ago I was elected to head the UN Legal Committee, and being the first Israeli to head a UN committee is a great honor," replied Danon.
He ended on a hopeful note. "I believe we can do more here in the UN. We shouldn't be afraid. We're very proud to be a strong democracy, and a full member of the United Nations."
3. CHIEF RABBIS URGED TO UPHOLD SECULAR STUDIES FOR HAREDI SCHOOLS
by Shai Landesman
In response to the government's expected move to abolish the requirement for basic state standards of secular studies in haredi schools, MK Yair Lapid sent a letter to Chief Rabbis Yitzhak Yosef and David Lau asking them to publicly oppose the move.
"The government is currently promoting a law to abolish basic secular education standards in haredi schools. This would mean that haredi children won't learn math and English in school, which would rob them of the ability to support themselves and their families later in life," the Yesh Atid head wrote.
"Some of the children will undoubtedly continue in the Torah study world, but those of them who will want to join the workforce will find that many jobs (the best paying jobs, at that) will be closed to them."
Lapid pointed out that the move to abolish the secular education standards is unfair to the haredi children, unfair to the other children who will need to carry the workload in the future, and in fact goes against the values of Judaism. "All agree that there is no conflict between Judaism and studying math and languages.
"On the contrary, all of Jewish history is suffused with the desire for learning and education. The sages taught 'Torah study without a trade brings about sin.' King Solomon, the wisest of men, spoke 70 languages. Maimonides was a doctor and a scientist. Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra wrote a book about the fundamentals of the decimal system. Gersonides wrote a book about high mathematics. Rabbi Elyahu of Vilna had a great interest in mathematics and a great breadth of scientific knowledge."
Lapid also expressed concern about the moves long-term effects on the future of all Israeli children. "This initiative will increase hatred and ignorance in Israel, it'll widen the divides in Israeli society, and is especially unfair to the thousands of children it will prevent from making a decent living.
"Many haredi households want basic secular education for their children but their voices are drowned out by the haredi lobbyists. The change that will bring equal opportunity for the haredi child has already begun. We must not allow it to be stopped."
The MK ended with a special request of the Chief Rabbis, "I call for the honorable Rabbi to speak with a strong and brave moral voice that will garner the support of all groups in society, to oppose the notion that for political reasons the children of Israel will be denied the knowledge, wisdom, and opportunities they deserve."
4. "AT THIS RATE, SHE'LL BE PRIME MINISTER"
by Shimon Cohen
The Chairman of the Jerusalem District of the Israeli Bar Association and a member of the Committee for the Appointment of Judges, Asher Axelrod, showers accolades on Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) for her work in appointing judges accepted by a broad consensus within Israeli society.
"It's no secret that Shaked does a lot of important work beyond the appointment of judges, but to devote such care to this issue is very important, and I'm not sure that politicians gave it the proper attention in previous years."
Axelrod has long been identified with the Haredi sector, nevertheless, his work with Shaked has led him to value her work, as well as to a greater understanding of the needs and interests of the Religious Zionist camp.
"The involvement of Religious Zionism in the courts now is unprecedented, and that's to the credit of Minister Shaked," said Axelrod.
Axelrod admits that he was hesitant, to say the least, when he heard of Shaked's appointment, until "we saw who we were dealing with. Suddenly proposed laws that had laid in moldy shelves for years came to light, excellent legislation for the good of the wider public [...] She really works for the good of all of the nation of Israel."
5. RABBI DRUCKMAN: IT'S PURE LIBEL
by Rachel Kaplan
In an interview with Arutz 7, Rabbi Haim Druckman, the Director of the Center for Bnei Akiva Yeshivot and head of the Bnei Akiva Youth Movement, started off by celebrating the recent appointment of judges to the Religious High Court.
"The judges chosen have stature in the true sense of the word. I am happy that the [Religious] High Court is returning to its fully operational status. In the good old days this was the maximum number - ten judges, and two chief rabbis. It's wonderful.
"For years now, the High Court has been diminishing, and in latter years there were almost no set judges, just temporary judges. It was a very harsh blow to the honor of the Torah. Is it conceivable that the Supreme Court would be that way? Yet that was the way of the High Court. Now, the benches are filled. It raises the status of the Torah in Israel."
Rabbi Druckman admitted that he doesn't personally know all of the judges, however the Religious Zionist judges he knows quite well, as "excellent judges that the Israeli nation can be proud of."
He gives full credit to Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) for making it happen. "She should be blessed, the Justice Minister, Ayelet Shaked, who invested a lot in [appointing the judges], and I know how much effort that took. She did not surrender, and with her great acuity and firm stance [she] completed the task."
Rabbi Druckman then touched on the intense political outrage directed from the Left toward IDF Chief Rabbi Eyal Karim.
"It's evil for evil's sake. I have no words. I don't normally say things like this, but this is evil."
"It's evil, as even Yediot Aharonot, which is a nonsense publication, on its front page writes that 'The New IDF Chief Rabbi Says that it is Okay to Rape in War.' which is a complete lie, and which never happened, and even offhand, it's slander."
Rabbi Druckman, although not personally affected by the matter, says he would love to sue the newspaper Yediot Aharonot for libel.
"If Rabbi Karim answers to explain the Torah concept of a 'captured woman,' does that apply today? The fact is that the Torah teaches that Israeli soldiers are the only ones who don't commit this ugly act, an act that all other armies in the world are known to do today. It is simply slander and libel, born out of a desire to ruin his name."
Rabbi Druckman proposed a theory that the entire orchestrated campaign against Rabbi Karim is intended to damage the standing of the military rabbinate, as Rabbi Druckman is convinced, because they have nothing else to do.
"There is no one as appropriate as Rabbi Eyal Karim to be the IDF Chief Rabbi. He was a combat soldier and a commander in the special forces and combat units of the IDF, and is a genuine Torah scholar. He knows the IDF like the back of his hand, and he knows [how to fulfill] the needs of the IDF. During his leadership until today, he would give halachic (Jewish law) direction to all the soldiers, how to behave on Shabbat etc., and every soldier can attest to it."
Regarding Rabbi Karim's approach, which puts Torah law ahead of a military order, Rabbi Druckman added: "What do they think? That a rabbi in Israel could say that if a soldier is given orders then he should violate the Torah, and uphold the order?
"Thank God, even back in the days of Rabbi Goren it was established that such a situation couldn't happen. There is no rabbi in Israel who could say such things. According to whom would he be able to source his opinion? According to Meretz, and the Joint Arab List? Of course he has to find a solution according to halacha (Jewish law)," said the rabbi, and compared the matter to a military doctor, who needs to work based off of his medical knowledge, and not according to the words of this sergeant or that commander.
"It lacks integrity and it lacks honesty, it lacks humanity,"concluded the rabbi. When asked if, in light of his years of experience, Rabbi Karim's appointment would be retracted, he answered in the negative, pointing out that both the Chief of Staff and the Head of Personnel know Rabbi Karim well, and based on that picked him for the job.
The normally soft-spoken Rabbi Druckman addressed the whole matter dismissively: "The dogs bark, yet the train moves on."
6. 'IT'S HARD TO FIND A SPANISH PERSON WITHOUT JEWISH BLOOD NOW'
by Yoni Kempinski
[youtube:2017135]
David Hatchwell, the president of Madrid's Jewish Community, recently spoke with Arutz Sheva about issues facing the Jewish community in Spain.
In particular, he talked about the "Reconectar" project, aimed at reconnecting the descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jews with the rest of the Jewish world.
7. STATE DEPARTMENT DENIES INTENTIONALLY FUNDING ANTI-BIBI CAMPAIGN
by Nitsan Keider
The US State Department says that it did not intentionally fund an organization dedicated to ousting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during the last election campaign.
"I'm not going to go into details, but to our understanding the report showed there is no proof that the OneVoice organization used money to influence the Israeli election," said a spokesperson for the State Department.
He referred to a report compiled by a bipartisan Senate investigatory committee on the issue. The committee found that the State Department gave about $350,000 of US taxpayers' money to OneVoice, which then used the fruits of the resources for the V15 campaign, which was dedicated to electing anyone except Netanyahu.
The funding was originally intended to promote efforts to renew negotiations aimed at creating a Palestinian state. OneVoice used the money to build its infrastructure, enlist activists and train its members in grassroots activism. Shortly after its connection with the US ended, the group used the same resources to attack Netanyahu's campaign.
OneVoice has been in Congress's sights for the past two years, after it was accused of funneling money to domestic Israeli political organizations. According to US officials, such conduct by an NGO like OneVoice, which is registered in the US, may violate tax laws.
The investigation revealed that the organization intentionally transferred the money to an group that worked against Netanyahu. Suspiciously, all of the correspondence indicating the relationship between the government and V15 was deleted. In addition, the committee report strongly criticized the fact that the US government did not keep track of where its money ultimately ended up.
The US is treating the issue of the deleted correspondence as very serious, particularly as the State Department has been in hot water over the handling of e-mails recently.
Michael Ratney, the former US Consul General in Jerusalem, admitted to the committee that he deleted the correspondence with OneVoice. Afterwards, the committee wrote that the State Department did not disclose all of the relevant documents and correspondence, which raised suspicion. Deleting e-mails is considered a violation of federal law, which requires all such e-mails to be archived.
Senior State Department officials also testified, saying that, had they known of OneVoice's intentions, they would have stopped the flow of money. However, they only heard about the issue after the fact.
The report's authors, though, did not have much faith in the officials. They stated that OneVoice's members disclosed their plans and put V15 in touch with several State Department officials before the election. Yet the officials did nothing. The report claims that deleting the e-mails prevented them from searching out the truth.
Jerusalem has not officially responded to the report, though officials say it proves the claims of US interference that were raised at the time of the elections, and that the Senate document speaks for itself.
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said, "It is a very serious issue for a government to interfere in another country's election. In my opinion, it is one of the most serious issues. I passed the Transparency Law this week, and this demonstrates how important it is. Other countries don't respect Israel's sovereignty and sometimes interfere in internal affairs. This must stop."
8. WATCH: ITALIAN CHIEF OF STAFF LANDS IN ISRAEL
by Rachel Kaplan
[video:2017141]
Italian Chief of Staff General Claudio Graziano landed last night in Camp Rabin, in the Hakirya area of Tel Aviv. He was greeted by an honor guard of IDF soldiers, led by Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkott.
During his state visit, the two Chiefs of Staff will discuss joint security issues, examine the current state of security in the Middle East, and plan future joint military activity.
Eisenkott gave General Graziano a token of appreciation, in light of the strengthening strategic ties between the IDF and the Italian military.
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