From: "Hebraic.Heritage.Newsgroup@sol.wwwnexus.com"
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To: Arutz-7 List <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>, Israel News List
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Subject: Arutz-7 News: March 5-10, 1999
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 15:49:24 -0800
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To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, March 5, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Friday, March 5, 1999 / Adar 17, 5759
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. HIZBULLAH WANTS JERUSALEM
2. GERMAN AID TO PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
3. POLLS FAVOR BARAK
4. ARUTZ-7 APPEAL TO BE HEARD ON MONDAY
1. HIZBULLAH WANTS JERUSALEM
"An IDF withdrawal from Lebanon is only part of what Hizbullah wants. What
they are really driving for is the capture of Jerusalem." So said O.C.
Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Yom Tov Samiyeh, speaking yesterday before high
school students in Be'er Sheva. Other sources confirm that the word
Hizbullah literally means "Party of God," and the organization is
committed, by its own - Arabic - admission, to the elimination of Jewish
sovereignty in all of Israel. Regarding Lebanon itself, Samiyeh said, "If
there was no security zone in southern Lebanon, it would have to be
invented." Other high-ranking army officials have criticized Labor party
leader Ehud Barak's call for a withdrawal from Lebanon within one year,
saying it is "an unrealistic political gimmick, and distracting to the
soldiers in Lebanon."
The Israel Air Force bombarded Hizbullah targets in Lebanon today. All our
planes returned safely.
2. GERMAN AID TO PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
Contacts are underway between Yasser Arafat and Germany regarding German
sponsorship of a land passage connecting Gaza and Judea/Samaria. Under
discussion is a highway or a railroad track. Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai
Huberman reports that Jerusalem sources are fuming at the initiation of
foreign projects within the State of Israel. He adds that the Germans are
already involved in many Palestinian projects throughout Yesha, including
water drilling.
3. POLLS FAVOR BARAK
Ehud Barak leads by a narrow margin over Binyamin Netanyahu in the polls
this week. A Dachaf Institute poll has Barak in front by one percentage
point - 45% to 44% - while respondents in a Gallup poll preferred Barak by
a 48-44% margin. The polls also show that a large majority of Israelis are
against a unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon.
4. ARUTZ-7 APPEAL TO BE HEARD ON MONDAY
MK Tzvi Hendel, via his attorney Renato Yarak, has submitted his defense
for the judicial appeals against the Arutz-7 law. Hendel is the Knesset
sponsor of the law. Yarak claims that though the appeals have no sound
basis, he has no objection to their judicial review in normal court
proceedings. He objects, however, to an interim restraining order against
the law itself, as such an order is issued only when irreparable damage is
likely to be caused to the appellants - which is not the case in the
current issue. The case will be heard on Monday.
********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, March 7, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Sunday, March 7, 1999 / Adar 19, 5759
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. TERRORIST ACTIVITY ON THE RISE
2. SOME IN MEIMAD WANT TO GO IT ALONE
3. SENATOR MACK ACCUSES PALESTINIANS
4. DOMB: DISUNITY COULD END UP WORSE THAN '92
1. TERRORIST ACTIVITY ON THE RISE
Three "minor" terrorist attacks occurred over the weekend, and a
fourth attempt was made this morning. On Friday, a 49-year-old
resident of Me'ah She'arim - the father of nine children - was stabbed
by an Arab outside the Damascus Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Following an operation yesterday, he is now out of mortal danger and
is listed in moderate condition. Outside the Shomron community of
Elkanah, a security guard was shot and seriously wounded last night.
He claimed that the attackers stole his weapon. Some hours later, a
21-year-old soldier sitting at a bus stop near the Malha mall in south
Jerusalem was stabbed by an Arab, who escaped from the scene. The
soldier was lightly wounded in the shoulder.
This morning, an Arab woman attempted to stab an Israeli guard at the
National Insurance Institute in eastern Jerusalem. HaKol MeHashetach
news agency reports that the guard was unhurt, and the attacker was
apprehended. It was later reported that she has been arrested in the past on
similar charges.
Jerusalem Police Chief Yair Yitzchaki confirms that there has been an
increase in Arab violent activity in the capital: "There has been a
rise in firebombs, stabbings, and the like. We strengthened our
forces even before this past weekend, and as a result of the last
couple of days, we are now likely to strengthen them even more."
Defense Minister Moshe Arens predicted a week ago that the
Palestinians would step up their small-scale attacks on Israelis as
the elections approach, just as they carried out major terrorist
attacks before the previous elections three years ago.
In other incidents yesterday, a Palestinian para-military police
officer was arrested in the midst of attempting to steal horses from
Moshav Nahalal in the southern Galilee. Two Israeli policemen were
injured yesterday while writing out a ticket to an Arab motorist in
eastern Jerusalem. Dozens of Arabs surrounded them and even attempted
to snatch the gun of one of the policemen.
2. SOME IN MEIMAD WANT TO GO IT ALONE
The secretariat of the left-leaning religious Zionist Meimad party
will meet with Ehud Barak to finalize the arrangements under which
Meimad will run on the One Israel list in the coming elections.
Meimad will reportedly receive two slots on the Knesset list, and a
third member will be appointed as Education Minister if Barak forms
the next government. Arutz-7's Yehoshua Mor-Yosef talked today with a
member of the secretariat, Ofer Glantz, who said that he would like a
different type of cooperation with One Israel: "I am very confident
of Meimad's electoral strength, and I think that we should run on our
own, and not together with One Israel. I think we could gain great
support from many people who are not happy with what is going on in
the NRP, and also attract support from many of those who are now in
the Centrist party, such as MK Alex Lubotsky - whom I call upon to
join us. I think that we could easily gain 3-4 seats in the next
Knesset. In this way we would be in a better position to help Ehud
Barak get elected, as many of our supporters who might hesitate to
vote for Labor even though they support Barak." When asked what
Meimad offers the voting public, Glantz said, "We would like to find a
way to emphasize the values and messages of the State of Israel as a
Jewish and democratic state. We do not think that Judaism and
democracy are contradictory values. We are sure that we can have a
state that preserves the Jewish tradition and honor the Supreme Court
at the same time... We can make a great contribution to religious
education in Israel, which is undergoing a crisis. Competing schools
such as Noam have opened, yeshivot hesder have less students, etc... "
Yehoshua Mor-Yosef then asked, "[Meretz MK] Yossi Sarid will help you
accomplish all your goals in this area?"
Ofer Glantz: I don't know, but Ehud Barak will.
YM-Y: But Barak doesn't come alone, he comes also with Yossi Sarid,
at least...
OG: Sarid also now understands that Barak doesn't come alone, but
comes also with Meimad, at least...
YM-Y: But the difference is that Meretz comes on its own merits,
while Meimad is coming without electoral strength but only on the
coattails of Barak...
OG: This is why I say that we should run on our own... In any event,
I will do all I can to ensure that Ehud Barak is elected, because it
is almost a matter of life and death, from a long-range
perspective..."
3. SENATOR MACK ACCUSES PALESTINIANS
"The Palestinian leadership does not want peace," but rather a state
it can use to "eliminate the State of Israel." So said Senator Connie
Mack (R-FL), in the course of his address to the U.S. Senate last
Wednesday. "While the Government of Israel makes good faith efforts to
come to a peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority teaches children
hatred. Our President's behavior [in criticizing Israel and
supporting Arafat] must be labeled 'foolish appeasement,'" Sen. Mack
said. The Senator delivered his speech in front of a poster-sized
photograph of a scene from a PA television program for children -
prepared by Peace for Generations - showing a child saying, "When I
wander into the entrance of Jerusalem, I will turn into a suicide
warrior in battledress!" The photo was accompanied by large-size
excerpts from PA school textbooks featuring anti-Jewish statements.
As well as urging the Clinton administration to pressure the
Palestinians to accept Israel's existence, Mack called on the U.S.
Department of Justice to pursue the capture of Palestinian murderers
of American citizens. Senator Mack recently returned from a trip to
Israel, where he met with Joyce Boim, Esther Wachsman and Yehudit
Dasberg, whose children were just a few of the American citizens
killed by Palestinian Arab terrorists. Mack also told the Senate of
his encounter in Israel with Palestinian persecution of Christians.
Palestinian supporters in the U.S. called the Senator's speech
"another blow to the peace process."
4. DOMB: DISUNITY COULD END UP WORSE THAN '92
Efforts continue in the struggle to unite the right-wing parties.
Tzomet leader Minister Rafael Eitan called a meeting for tonight of
the leading players, but only Moledet representatives have agreed to
come. Other invitees told Arutz-7 correspondent Kobi Sela that Eitan
is apparently more interested in securing a reserved spot on the Likud
list than in uniting with the other right-wing parties. They also did
not display much enthusiasm towards wooing him onto their list,
claiming that his presence on the united list would not attract many
religious voters, as he is identified with anti-hareidi initiatives.
Moledet's Rehavam Ze'evi has called upon Benny Begin to withdraw his
candidacy for Prime Minister, as "his campaign has not taken off."
Aharon Domb, Secretary of the Yesha Council, warned all the players
involved that they had better "lay personal issues aside, and make
sure to run together, or else the results will be worse than in 1992."
***********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, March 8, 1999
Reply-to: netnews@a7.org
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Monday, March 8, 1999 / Adar 20, 5759
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ARUTZ-7 LAW NOT VOIDED
2. UP AND DOWN ON THE RIGHT
3. GOLAN IN SUPPORT OF THIRD WAY
4. PRE-ELECTION NATIONAL UNITY EFFORTS
5. HAREIDI EFFORTS IN YESHA
1. ARUTZ-7 LAW NOT VOIDED
Satisfaction in Arutz-7 at the decision of the Supreme Court this
morning to recognize - with reservations - the legality of what has
become known as the Arutz-7 law. The three judges ordered the
Communications Ministry to refrain from assigning frequencies to
Arutz-7 and the other stations involved until two weeks from now. The
petitioners had asked that the law be nullified, but learned to their
chagrin that it had already been registered on the official State
gazette.
The government, the Knesset, and MK Tzvi Hendel - the law's sponsor -
have 14 days to respond to the petitioners' claims against the law. A
larger Supreme Court forum of five to seven justices will be convened
to hear the case. Constitutional law expert Mordechai Haller told
Arutz-7 today, "The decision today was truly earth-shattering, in that
the Court actually issued an injunction against the implementation of
a duly-accepted Knesset law, without having heard any evidence against
its legality, and without the petitioners having shown how the law
causes them irreversible damages. The petitioners didn't even show how
the law causes them *any* damages!"
One of the petitioners against the law, Meretz MK Yossi Sarid,
admitted earlier this morning to Army Radio, "I erred [several years
ago] when I sponsored a special law to legalize Abie Nathan's
ship-based radio station... However, there is a difference between
then and now, in that there was a national consensus regarding Abie
Nathan." Arutz-7 sources noted that its 500,000 listeners - far more
than Nathan ever had - represent a sizeable national consensus in
their own right.
2. UP AND DOWN ON THE RIGHT
The optimism about a union of the right-wing camp even as early as
this evening has given way to more uncertainty. Representatives of
Herut, Moledet, and Tekumah met until the early hours of this morning
hammering out an agreement. The likely order of the Knesset list is
Benny Begin, Ze'evi, Porat, Kleiner, Elon, Hendel, and Uri Ariel.
However, MKs Ze'evi and Kleiner, respectively, made new demands later
in the day. Rafael Eitan and whatever is left of his Tzomet party
will apparently not be a part of the new front. Benny Katzover of
Tekumah acknowledged to Arutz-7 today that Tekumah has more electoral
strength than its representation on the list, "but this is our way -
to forego our own honor in favor of the common good."
3. GOLAN IN SUPPORT OF THIRD WAY
An ad sponsored by the Golan Communities Council and published in
today's papers calls upon the public to support the Third Way party in
the coming elections, "in order to prevent the withdrawal of the IDF
to the Galilee shore." The Golan leaders feel that the Third Way is
the only centrist party working to preserve the Golan. The party will
convene this afternoon to choose its Knesset candidates. Third Way MK
Yehuda Harel said he would not make statements in favor of the
evacuation of Yesha settlements. He agreed to do so after Golan
leaders told him that statements of this sort harm their cause as
well.
4. PRE-ELECTION NATIONAL UNITY EFFORTS
A new initiative by a group of well-known public figures calls for the
formation of a national-unity government by whichever candidate wins
the Prime Ministerial election. The group includes Knesset Speaker MK
Dan Tichon (Likud), former IDF generals Uri Saguy and Avihu Bin-Nun,
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, and others. Beit She'an Mayor Pinny
Kabalo, another member of the group, explained today, "The positions
of the Likud, Labor, and the centrist party are all pretty close to
each other, and it is important that there be national agreement at
these critical times into which the State of Israel is entering." The
Association for a National Unity Government, as the group is known,
will attempt to gather thousands of signatures in favor of its cause,
and will present them to each of the Prime Ministerial candidates
before the elections.
Ehud Barak's One Israel list is growing. It officially absorbed David
Levy's Gesher party last night, and tonight, Meimad is scheduled to
join up with the Labor party's electoral list. However, members of 28
Gesher chapters from around the country met with Prime Minister
Netanyahu yesterday and informed him they were returning to the Likud.
5. HAREIDI EFFORTS IN YESHA
Something new on the Yesha [Judea and Samaria] political scene: an
active campaign by Rabbi Meir Porush and the hareidi United Torah
Judaism party to woo voters for the upcoming election. He
acknowledged that there were differences of ideology between the
religious-Zionist camp - which comprises a large portion of Yesha
voters - and his party, but "what bothers Yesha residents greatly is
that during the four years of Labor rule, there was little or no
construction. When the Netanyahu government was elected, and I took
over the Housing Ministry, we began building. I say straight out that
what we did wasn't enough, compared to what the Palestinians have
built during this time, but we built a considerable amount, and others
have praised us for this."
Arutz-7's Haggai Segal asked Porush if he thinks that UTJ's appeal to
Yesha residents reflects a historical rapprochement between the
hareidi and religious-Zionist communities. Porush responded, "Many
Yesha residents are 'hareidi Zionists,' somewhat different than their
representatives on the religious Knesset lists. Quite a few, for
instance, participated in the massive prayer rally in Jerusalem two
weeks ago." Segal asked Porush what his party's platform says
regarding the "final status" arrangement with the Palestinians. "We
feel the great pain of having to give up parts of our Land," Porush
answered. "The Council of Torah Sages at the time of the Hevron
agreement, and at other times, expressed this clearly... In fact, our
big problem with the [political] left is the enthusiasm it displays
when giving up land. We sat in the opposition for four years during
the Labor government - which translates into fewer classrooms for our
students, and less money for yeshivot - but we did this because we
just couldn't join a Meretz-inspired government... There are those
who would fight for every single grain of the Land... [but] what is
important is to create facts on the ground - to settle another hill,
and another, and another. I was quite cautious during my tenure not
to speak too much about our activities, but rather just to act without
talking."
***********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, March 9, 1999
Reply-to: netnews@a7.org
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Tuesday, March 9, 1999 / Adar 21, 5759
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. LIBYA PROPOSES UNION WITH EGYPT, SUBMITS COMPLAINT TO U.N.
2. IT'S OFFICIAL: MEIMAD AND LABOR
1. LIBYA PROPOSES UNION WITH EGYPT, SUBMITS COMPLAINT TO U.N.
Libyan dictator Muammar Gadaffi is proposing a union between Egypt and
Libya. Gadaffi, currently on an official visit to Cairo, told Egyptian
officials that the two states should capitalize on Egypt's water
resources and Libya's crude oil potential in order to "frustrate the
Zionist designs against the Arab nation." In a speech delivered in
Cairo and broadcast on Libyan television, Gadaffi stated that he has
been "in favor of such a union for some time now." Libya complained
to the United Nations today that Israeli helicopters circled above a
Libyan ship in the Mediterranean. The Libyan Ambassador in the U.N.
claims that two Israeli helicopters circled for three minutes over the
ship, 96 kilometers (60 miles) west of Beirut.
2. IT'S OFFICIAL: MEIMAD AND LABOR
The Meimad party voted overwhelmingly last night, 55-1, to approve the
agreement reached with Ehud Barak's One Israel list. Meimad will
receive the 17th slot on the One Israel list - Rabbi Michael Malkior -
as well as the 33rd spot - Rabbi Yehuda Gilad. In addition, if Barak
forms the next government, Meimad will get to choose one of its member
to head a Knesset committee, as well as a Minister "in an area of
interest to Meimad." Barak, appearing before the party leadership last
night, said, "I'm not so much interested in how many votes Meimad will
bring us, but more in what doors Meimad will open for us - and how
Meimad will help us find the required balance and synthesis between
Judaism and democracy."
"It is fitting to do this with a kippah (skullcap)," Barak said, and
proceeded to recite, "Baruch Shehecheyanu V'kiyemanu... (the blessing
over particularly happy news)." He was applauded, and then said, "Now
I will remove the kippah, because I feel more natural that way."
Rabbi Yehuda Amital, co-Dean of Yeshiva Har Etzion, who was chosen
last night to continue to head the movement, said, "Today it is
possible to announce and say to tens of thousands of people who are
loyal to Religious Zionism: 'You have an address, a political home!'"
***********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, March 10, 1999
Reply-to: netnews@a7.org
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Wednesday, March 10, 1999 / Adar 22, 5759
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. TEKUMAH INAUGURATED, AWAITS UNITY
2. KLEIN AND FEIN JOINTLY SIGN
3. RISE IN PUBLIC SABBATH-DESECRATION IN CAPITAL
4. "BOLD THINKING" ON DISPLAY IN REFORM CENTER
1. TEKUMAH INAUGURATED, AWAITS UNITY
The Tekumah party held its founding meeting in the Jerusalem
Convention Center (Binyanei HaUmah) last night. MKs Chanan Porat and
Tzvi Hendel and Beit El Mayor Uri Ariel chaired the event. Hendel
announced that former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu had
given his blessing both to the gathering and to the founding of the
party. No breakthrough has yet been made in the attempts to unite the
nationalist-camp parties.
Yitzchak Mordechai's "centrist" party will hold its first major public
gathering tonight in Tel Aviv, with Mordechai delivering the keynote
address. MK Nissim Zvilli - former Secretary-General of the Labor
party and now a member of the centrist party - told Arutz-7 today, "My
Labor colleague Haggai Merom and I moved to this party because we felt
that it had a chance to 'shock' the system into the unseating of
Netanyahu, and that it would force the formation of a broad coalition
in the next government. We need a leader who will help mend the
splits in the society, and not use them to his own advantage... I
don't think that [Labor party leader Ehud] Barak is the man to lead
the country at this point. For instance, he sets one camp against
another, such as when he called for giving priority to development
towns as opposed to [Yesha] settlements, etc. He has adopted the
style of Netanyahu in this regard. Despite this, if the second round
pits Barak and Netanyahu against each other, I will definitely support
Barak."
Other election news today:
One Israel leader Ehud Barak and Gesher head David Levy held their
first joint election tour. They visited Yokne'am and other northern
communities...
Ethiopian immigrants gathered in Rishon Letzion last night in support
of Natan Sharansky's "Yisrael B'Aliyah" party. Sharansky told the crowd
that the only time that he did not observe the Sabbath was when he
covered (as a journalist) "Operation Solomon" that brought thousands
of Ethiopians to Israel from their native land...
The Shas party hosted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at a gala
dinner last night. Netanyahu purchased letters for himself and his family in
the new Torah scroll commissioned by Shas...
Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to the Negev town of Ofakim
yesterday was disrupted by unidentified activists. The agitators, from central
Israel, were dispersed by Likud supporters. Netanyahu appeared
together with Finance Minister Meir Shetreet and Ofakim Mayor Ya'ir
Hazan...
2. KLEIN AND FEIN JOINTLY SIGN
Zionist Organization of America President Morton Klein and Leonard
Fein, a member of the national board of Americans for Peace Now, have
set aside their ideological differences to write a joint letter to
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Martin Indyk. The letter asks that
the American government urge the Palestinian Authority to hand over to
the U.S. a terrorist who killed an American citizen. "[More than]
three years have passed," write Fein and Klein, "since then-Prime
Minister Yitzchak Rabin asked the Palestinian Authority to surrender
to Israel, for prosecution, Abd Al-Majid Dudin, a terrorist suspected
of involvement in the Jerusalem bus bombing that killed [American
citizen and teacher] Joan Davenny. The PA spurned Prime Minister
Rabin's request and failed to live up to its agreement at Wye to
arrest fugitive terrorists. Accordingly, we now ask that the American
government (operating within the framework of its own Anti-Terrorism
Act of 1986) urge the PA to hand over Abd Al-Majid Dudin to the U.S.
for prosecution."
An editorial in this week's Connecticut Jewish Ledger applauds the
joint letter as "an inspiring display of unity by two Jewish leaders
who are often at odds on many issues." The editors add, "We hope
[Indyk] won't resort to the usual generalities and platitudes that
government officials sometimes employ." They insist that Indyk
explain why the U.S. administration demands that Libya surrender the
Pan Am 103 bombing suspects,"but it never demands that Arafat hand
over Palestinian killers of Americans? Why does the administration
offer multi-million dollar rewards for the capture of terrorists who
killed Americans in Pakistan, Africa, Greece, and elsewhere - but it
has never offered such rewards to capture Palestinian killers of
Americans in Israel?"
3. RISE IN PUBLIC SABBATH-DESECRATION IN CAPITAL
A 70% increase in the number of businesses operating on the Sabbath in
Jerusalem has been registered since the election of Mayor Ehud Olmert
over 5 years ago. The statistics appear in a report published by the
hareidi task force "Committee for the Sabbath." Among the 170
businesses open on the Sabbath are restaurants, coffee shops, stores
and gas stations. According to the report, some 20 establishments have
opened in the past half year alone.
4. "BOLD THINKING" ON DISPLAY IN REFORM CENTER
The World Union for Progressive (Reform) Judaism opened its 29th
biannual convention in Jerusalem today. Leaders of 1,200 Reform
communities throughout the world are attending the event. A
controversial and shocking project currently on display at a Reform
Judaism center in Jerusalem has prompted a discussion of what
constitutes "freedom of creative thinking." The project, an
educational kit for seventh-graders designed by a college student,
describes the biblical "Binding of Isaac" as an act of molestation by
the patriarch Abraham of his son Isaac. The accompanying text
explains:
"Sexual immorality is the most cruel and harsh of all behavior, since
it represents the complete violation of the basic trust between a child
and parent." David Ariel-Yoel, Deputy Director-General of the Reform
movement in Israel, said that though he does not agree with this view
of the traditional Binding, the analysis "is in fact a bold attempt at
explaining the story."
Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, Chief Rabbi of the city of Ramat Gan, discussed
the episode today with Arutz-7 News Editor Ariel Kahane and said,
"There's no doubt that our first reaction to something of this nature
must be immediate denunciation. For any Jew, and for in fact any
person in the world raised on Judaic values, the Binding of Isaac has
become a universal motif of self-sacrifice, in philosophy, in art, in
poetry. Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his greatest treasure - his
son - because of his dedication to a higher value. This ethic has
empowered the Jewish people to this day, and has similarly inspired
all great movements whose members are dedicated to the pursuit of
lofty values. Displays such as this one run roughshod over all we
have come to recognize as valuable and holy."
Kahane asked, "Is there any room for freedom of expression within
Judaism?" Rabbi Ariel responded, "Should a person be permitted to do anything,
such as insulting his parents or extolling violence, in order to give
expression to some twisted notion in his soul? Freedom that knows no
boundaries is not true freedom. When I was in basic training in the
army, an instructor asked us what we thought was the most important
part of the gun. One person suggested the barrel, and another
proposed the pin. The instructor corrected them: 'Chevra (friends),'
he said, 'the safety catch is the most important!' The same is true
for a car: Without brakes it is not only worthless, it is simply not a
car. An artist without 'brakes' is not an artist. One of the
fundamental aspects of a person's G-dly image is his ability to know
when to 'put the brakes on.'"
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