Government Won't Allow Memorial Event for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Before Elections

The Israeli Attorney General's office is insisting that a government-funded academic conference in memory of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, a prominent Sephardic rabbi, must be postponed until after the upcoming elections. The decision comes despite a request from the Director-General of the Ministry for Religious Services, Yehuda Avidan, who sought to hold the event between October 6th and 8th. The Attorney General's office stated that while there is no objection to commemorating Rabbi Yosef, a government-sponsored event with extensive media coverage would be inappropriate so close to an election.

In a letter to Avidan, the legal counsel clarified that there is no directive to diminish the honor of Rabbi Yosef and that other memorial events, including state ceremonies and commemorations, can proceed. However, the specific academic conference, which reportedly includes visual content and is expected to garner significant media attention, is subject to the postponement. The office noted that the anniversary of Rabbi Yosef's passing is on October 14th, allowing ample time for the event to be held after the elections.

Avidan had appealed the decision, arguing that the postponement constituted discrimination, especially in light of planned events commemorating the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, which are scheduled around the same period. However, this argument was not directly addressed in the response from the Attorney General's office. The office emphasized that any event not funded by the government is permissible at any time.