Top Israelis Demand Investigation into Rabbi Axelrod's 'Pursuing Enemy' Fatwa

Twenty prominent former Israeli security, legal, and academic figures have petitioned the police to investigate Rabbi Gdalyahu Axelrod, a senior Chabad rabbi, for incitement to murder. The petition follows a letter published by Rabbi Axelrod in which he declared that any party leader supporting a government that includes Arab parties faces the halachic ruling of "din rodef" (pursuing enemy).

The signatories, including former heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad, a former IDF Chief of Staff, and former senior legal officials, warned that Axelrod's words, given his status as a religious authority, pose a tangible danger of violence, potentially leading to political assassination. They cited the historical use of "din rodef" by Yigal Amir to justify the murder of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

The group, which also includes former IDF deputy chief of staff Matan Vilnai and former Central Command generals Avi Mizrahi and Gadi Shamni, urged Police Commissioner Boaz Balt to immediately summon Rabbi Axelrod for questioning. They expressed concern that his pronouncements could be interpreted by extremist elements as a license to harm elected officials, thereby undermining the parliamentary process and potentially inciting racism.

Additionally, the "Tag Meir" forum, an organization combating hate crimes, has also called for a criminal investigation into the rabbi. MK Michal Rozin has similarly appealed to the Attorney General, emphasizing that Axelrod's statement was not spontaneous but a deliberate declaration from a senior rabbinical figure. She warned that ignoring such pronouncements, as was done before Rabin's assassination, endangers the public.

Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav also condemned the use of "din rodef" against elected officials, calling it a dangerous act that crosses all red lines. He urged Chabad leadership to unequivocally denounce the rabbi's words and called on law enforcement authorities to act decisively.