If a Jew is threatened that he will be killed unless he kills another Jew, he is required to accept martyrdom rather than to kill. The reason the Talmud gives is, "What makes you think your blood is redder? Perhaps the blood of the other person (whom you were ordered to kill) is redder than yours" (Pesachim 25b).
"if the High Court justices were to reflect the values and opinions of the entire population, rather than a certain sector, it is reasonable to assume that the issue of human shields would not have been even brought to court, or would have been declared legally legitimate and morally right." - Harel
The High Court is actually doing a reasonable job. Once Israeli law declares that all citizens, Jews and Arabs alike, have the same human rights, the natural extrapolation is that the life of an Arab of the Territories has the same innate value as that of Jewish life. But Harel the Settler Leader of course does not believe that all human beings have the same value and should be treated equally, not even within Israel.
Harel draws his morality from the Talmud and does not update it. According to Jewish Law, the life of a Jew is worth more. Example: One is not allowed to desecrate bthe Sabbath in order to save a non-Jewish life. (The exception is when non-Jews will find out and the life of Jews will be endangered as a result.) This view explains a lot about the lawlessness of settlers in the West Bank. What we think is shameful behavior is actually the face of Jewish Law. Unfortunately, Jewish Law did not have a chance over the centuries to incorporate needed realistic provisions when Jews control their country. The Settlers are stuck in Late Antiquity. |
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