Attorney General Seeks to Postpone Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Memorial Events Amid Election Concerns, Shas Strongly Opposes
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
The Israeli Attorney General has requested postponing state memorial events for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef due to election proximity and concerns over political misuse, but the Shas party strongly rejects the move, citing legal obligations and planning legal action.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Attorney General requests postponement of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef memorial events due to election timing.
- Law mandates commemorations on or within a week after October 14, the anniversary of Rabbi Yosef's death.
- Concerns cited over potential misuse of state resources for Shas' election campaign using Rabbi Yosef's image.
- Shas opposes postponement, calling it a violation of Knesset legislation and an attack on Rabbi Yosef's legacy.
- Shas compares the issue to memorials for Yitzhak Rabin, demanding equal treatment.
- Shas plans to legally challenge the Attorney General's decision to postpone the events.
The Israeli Attorney General has requested to postpone the state-organized memorial events for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the Shas party, due to their timing near the upcoming elections. The law mandates that activities commemorating Rabbi Yosef take place on the anniversary of his death or within the following week, which this year falls on October 14. However, the Attorney General expressed concerns that holding the events close to the elections could lead to misuse of state resources for political campaigning, especially since Shas is using Rabbi Yosef's image in its election campaign.
Shas vehemently opposes the postponement, arguing that delaying the events violates the law passed by the Knesset that specifies the timing of these commemorations. The party also compared the situation to memorial events for former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, suggesting that if Rabbi Yosef's events are postponed due to political associations, similar treatment should apply to Rabin's commemorations, which they say are linked to the left and the Labor Party.
Shas described the Attorney General's demand as "arrogant and outrageous," claiming it severely harms Rabbi Yosef's memory and the large public that follows his legacy. The party announced plans to challenge the decision legally, stating they will use all available judicial means to prevent what they see as an infringement on the commemoration and an attack by a politically aligned Attorney General.
