Rabbis Must Condemn Jewish Violence in West Bank, Author Argues

Author Nachman Shai argues that rabbis in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) hold the power to stop nightly raids by Jewish assailants on Palestinian villages, yet remain silent. He questions why these spiritual leaders do not publicly denounce the disturbances occurring before their eyes, suggesting their silence is interpreted as consent. Shai criticizes the government's weak condemnations and the Defense Minister's decision to cancel administrative arrest warrants for Jews in the area, which he believes emboldens perpetrators. He notes that even when arrested, legal aid groups often secure their release, allowing them to re-offend.

Shai expresses disbelief that the Israeli military, capable of complex operations abroad, cannot control approximately 100 Jewish rioters. He dismisses the idea of a technical failure, stating that the issue is a reluctance to confront these individuals, with police citing a lack of resources and the Shin Bet accusing police of inaction. The military, he claims, is distancing itself from such confrontations, focusing on routine security and avoiding direct engagement with the rioters.

He directly questions Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on why 150 individuals cannot be removed from the area and placed under administrative detention to deter others. Shai asserts that no one wants to deal with them, and they, in turn, deter security forces, with the "political echelon" providing backing. He criticizes rehabilitation programs as ineffective, stating these individuals are not simply lacking education but are acting out of hate.

Following an incident in Jalud, Shai notes the absence of any statement from rabbis, lamenting their failure to invoke Jewish teachings like "Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor." He contrasts this with historical Jewish activism for human rights and calls for religious leaders, intellectuals, and artists to speak out against the moral decay and to uphold Israel's values. A postscript mentions an incident where hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men celebrated a holiday with violence in Jerusalem, including an assault on an elderly Arab man, which Shai cites as further evidence of his point.