Barak orders IDF to cut ties with far-right yeshiva

and what happens when the next yeshiva in the hesder program does the same? and the next? and the one after that? bottom line is that the whole arrangement is flawed. religion has NO part to play in the military; EXCEPT that of ministering to the religious needs of its soldiers. considering the nationalist politics and religious extremes advocated by these yeshivas, removing just this one will not change the debilitative influence the rest of them have on the idf.

The Hesder spent only part their time in yeshiva the rest of it they are doing the same duties as any other soldier. This has nothing to do with a few individuals making trouble if it was they would be dealt with individualy. The problem is Israeli society is more secular than it was & thanks to the haredi orthodox jews are not the most popular sector so there are people saying there is no place for religion in the IDF .. Barak included Long term this will be bad for the IDF & Barak personally If the orthodox jews like Chabad who serve in other regular units feel that religious jews are being discriminated against then they will just refuse to serve in religious grounds. So the IDF will start loosing some of its most loyal soldiers at a time when Barak is trying to encourage the orthodox to join Also there are plenty of religious jews who vote Labour and if Barak makes a move like this then he will anger them & to punish him they will vote Kadima if they want a left wing government

Moshe I need your help so I can understand your reasoning. Does the IDF have a contract with the universities or any other special arrangement? What is the arrangement with these yeshivas as to funding etc. Hag Sameah.

Nobody should support the 2 State solution unless Hamas the elected government of the Palestinian Nation accepts Israel as their legitimate neighbor, friend and ally. This is all unnecessary. Turn off the freeze and IGNORE Abbas. It is only Hamas that Israel should focus like a laser on. Ehud Barak should be made Defense Minister for 10 years, just like the President is given 10 years.

civil war and jew kiling jew is part of jewish history. this not the israel ben gurion and hertzl believed in. unfortunately political greed and corruption are now sowing the seeds for a civil war. god help us the beloved country!

and what happens when the next yeshiva in the hesder program does the same? and the next? and the one after that? bottom line is that the whole arrangement is flawed. religion has NO part to play in the military; EXCEPT that of ministering to the religious needs of its soldiers. considering the nationalist politics and religious extremes advocated by these yeshivas, removing just this one will not change the debilitative influence the rest of them have on the idf.

The Rabbi knows the GOD of Israel and the Land of Israel. Does Barak know the Source of Israel's Protection and Defense-Israel's Strength, Fortress, Deliverer, Stronghold, Shield, Rock, Help, Rescue, Hope, Defender, Mighty One, Helper, Trust, Peace-the GOD of Israel? Since ancient time, it was the GOD of Israel that helped Israel defeat its enemies.

Most of the hesder programs and their students believe the same thing and probably promote disobeying. They are just not as vocal. But by cutting them off, you are cutting off some of the top future leaders of the idf. Why not 'cut politics out of the idf' by refraining from using the idf for political purposes, such as evacuating Jews from their houses and helping the police deliver eviction notices, and instead let them focus on their main goals - "Israel", and "Defense".

It's about time...no room for traitors in the IDF

"Safed chief rabbi: Barak`s interference in world of Torah must be stopped (Haaretz)" ... the audacity of such declarations!... ... the rabbi should keep his nose out of IDF decisions...

While I'm all for such a move in principle, all this will do is create a rift between the RL camp and the rest of Israel - and the rest of Israel is increasingly depending upon them to fill the ranks of elite combat units, and combat units in general. Additionally, a double standard is at work here: professors at TAU and HU have been advocating insubordination (and sometimes the dissolution of the state altogether!) and Army Radio has broadcast sentiments like these since day one, and yet no one has said a word about it. If Barak was actually trying to deal with the problem, instead of just convincing the rest of Israel that he's taking a stand, he would have specifically twisted their arm in private, and avoided a public confrontation. This will have plenty of long-term consequences, though of course, most Israelis seem quite content to amputate the arm that protects them, so if that's what the public wants...

Prime Minister Ehud Barak became the latest prominent Israeli politician ensnared in scandal, as the State Comptroller released a report in late January on illegal party funding in last year's elections which singled out Barak's Labor/One Israel faction for scathing criticism, fined the party $3.4 million and triggered an immediate criminal investigation into his campaign's fundraising activities.

threatened, is ignoble because by refusing to resist evil, he aids it in its goals

with Barak as a prototype of the species.

Its very sad how Barak just pops off like that over a disagreement with a Rabbi. Israel must understand that there is NO WAY to divorce itself from its religion. Its a futile ambition and reveals the deep chasm that has always existed and its sad to realize that we have chosen to keep fighting so much within ourselves. It has always been our demise: you'd think we'd have smartened up. Sad.

and I would hope that Barak doesn't really see Yeshiva students as enemies of the State.

and fellow soldiers who refuse to expell jews and spoke to them of the thing for which they are fighting for ; ?O my fellow soldiers, no other time remains more opportune than the present for courage and contempt of dangers; for if you now fight manfully, you may recover your liberty, which, as it is a thing of itself agreeable to all men, so it proves to be to us much more desirable, by its affording us the liberty of worshiping God. Since therefore you are in such circumstances at present, you must either recover that liberty, and so regain a happy and blessed way of living, which is that according to our laws, and the customs of our country, or to submit to the most opprobrious sufferings; nor will any seed of your nation remain if you be beat in this battle. Fight therefore manfully; and believe, that besides such glorious rewards as those of the liberty of your country, of your laws, of your religion, you shall then obtain everlasting glory. Prepare yourselves, therefore, and put yourselves into such an agreeable posture, that you may be ready to fight against the hellenist-hedonist enemy as soon as it is day tomorrow morning."

without the Jews in it. Barak sense of power overwhelm his reason and morals,

This country has no representational government to speak of. Mr Barak and his Labor party were handed their walking papers in the last election. Like the all of the PMs of this past decade, Netanyahu simply ignored the Israeli voters and propped up yet another left wing imbecile (Barak) whose filed policies will result in the further erosion of confidence (if that is mathematically possible) of Israe;'s voters.

Rabbi Melamed should not receive any salaries paid by the tax payers. His anti-democratic behavious is in direct conflict with all that Israel stands for.

The IDF needs the Hesder yeshivas more than they need the IDF.

He just stepped over the line and now he will have a problem. The finance committee will now be withholding a lot of money from him. He will back down in the end. He will have no choice. Watch MK Elkin show him that he's not the Almighty.

Israel and refusing orders to bomb Gaza. but professors are not rabbis - they enjoy "academic freedom."

No army can function if each soldier picks and chooses which orders he will follow based on his own personal politics. This "rabbi" is harming democracy and security in Israel.

It is usually wise to stop making trouble for oneself.