Top Rabbi Blames Ben-Gvir for Yeshiva Students' Arrests

Former Chief Rabbi of Israel, Yitzhak Yosef, has sharply criticized Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, holding him directly responsible for the recent arrests of yeshiva students. Yosef stated that Ben-Gvir is to blame, not the Attorney General, and that the arrests would not be occurring if Ben-Gvir were not in office. He suggested Ben-Gvir is intentionally provoking yeshiva students to prevent them from voting for the Shas party.

Member of Knesset Yaakov Asher, chairman of Yahadut HaTorah, echoed these sentiments, urging Ben-Gvir to halt the arrests of Torah scholars, especially during the election period. Asher also accused Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of using the police as a political tool to create chaos and division.

Meanwhile, tensions surrounding the arrests are escalating, with large protests planned for Jerusalem and the Gush Dan area. The Committee to Save the World of Torah announced these demonstrations, following the explicit instruction of Rabbi Azriel Auerbach, in response to the wave of arrests of yeshiva students and yeshiva scholars.

Organizers expect thousands to participate in the protests, which are scheduled to begin Thursday at 4:00 PM in both locations. They aim to express outrage over the arrests and what they describe as a severe affront to the honor of Torah and its students. Rabbi Auerbach also criticized what he termed the "terrible desecration of God's name" resulting from yeshiva students being imprisoned without public outcry, and lamented the perceived abandonment of students by the Haredi establishment.