Prominent Rabbi Advises Against Voting for Ofer Winter's Party

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, a leading figure in Religious Zionism, has publicly stated that voters should not cast their ballots for the "Amcha Yisrael" party, led by retired Brigadier General Ofer Winter. The rabbi's strong stance stems from the party's decision to place Yosef Haddad, an Israeli Arab Christian activist, in the second position on its electoral list.

During a lesson to his students, Rabbi Aviner was asked about the halachic (Jewish legal) permissibility of voting for a party that includes a non-Jew in a prominent candidacy spot. He responded unequivocally, "Certainly not." Rabbi Aviner distinguished between personal respect for non-Jews and their suitability for leadership roles within the Jewish nation. "A gentile friend should be treated well. However, if they fit the definition of a convert or resident alien, they cannot be given leadership positions over the nation," he explained.

When a student inquired if this applied even to a "Righteous Gentile" (a non-Jew who has saved Jewish lives), Rabbi Aviner maintained his position, stating, "Even a Righteous Gentile cannot be a leader in the Land of Israel." He clarified that his ruling does not preclude non-Jews from being citizens of Israel, but rather from holding positions of national leadership. He cited Maimonides' laws concerning kings as the basis for his ruling on the appointment of non-Jews to leadership roles.

The rabbi's comments were made in the context of Ofer Winter's party list, where Haddad is indeed placed second. However, the question posed to Rabbi Aviner was framed hypothetically, focusing on the principle of a non-Jewish candidate in the second position, without initially naming Haddad.