Rabbi invokes Jewish law permitting killing of politicians cooperating with Arab parties - report
In his letter, Axelrod reportedly argued that Jewish politicians who cooperate with the Arab parties posed a "terrible danger to the people of Israel."
Israel's Chabad-Lubavitch movement distanced itself from Rabbi Gedalia Axelrod after he issued a halachic ruling permitting lethal force against Jewish politicians who cooperate with Arab parties, according to Haaretz. The term "din rodef" in Hebrew means pursuer, and derives from the religious doctrine that mandates the killing of a pursuer who threatens a person's life.
Axelrod claimed that collaboration with Arab parties in Israel posed a grave danger to the nation's security. His letter called for the arrest of Arab parties, should they join a governing coalition, or rely on their support without being part of it. Former heads of Israel's security services and military urged the police to investigate Axelrod on suspicion of incitement to murder.
The "din rodef" doctrine was previously used to justify the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995. Chabad spokesman Rabbi Shimi Segal clarified that Axelrod's ruling did not represent the official stance of the movement, as he is not a member of the Chabad rabbinical court. Israeli politician Ofer Cassif called for a criminal investigation into Axelrod, expressing concern over the sensitive period of leadership change following the recent elections.
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