Rabbis unite against Barak in IDF-yeshiva row

Do you approve of the actions of these rabbis?

Barak has practically no Knesset members that he represents. Most of the country will be happy to see him relieved of his duties. It is about time Bibi took the reins and free Barak of his responsibilities. Or maybe that this is Netanyahu's plan for Barak to recieve all the fire before he is releaved of his duties.

just do your job as yhou see fit for Peace and Security of Israel. We , the majority are behind you.

I and my children did regular army, not Hesder but I certainly know people who were in Hesder and I have served alongside them. They were and are, for the most, part great people and committed soldiers. Who the h*ll are you to sit in the comfort of New Jersey and slander this community who have done so much to serve this country? Shame on you.

When you have no argument anymore, then you become personal: a real bankruptcy declaration! The IDF should cut all contact and funding with all these people. It is time that our Rabbis are doing what they are supposed to do. [Just a remark: I am a practicing orthodox Jew, therefore no need to say the left is attacking].

Perhaps there is some wisdom in separating religion from the state. Zealotry and other idiosyncracies of religions lead to abuses of people and attacks on rational thought. The conservative Christian movement in the USA, Papacy attacks on Copernicus and Galileo, Muslim leadership in Iran, the Taliban and the orthodox rabbis in Israel are examples. They all appear to put a higher value on the imposition of their religous views on others rather than developing peaceful, diverse, thoughtful societies. When will people learn zealotry is not from God, but instead it is from men that want to control peoples lives and thoughts.

Rabbi Melamed and Rabbi Benzion Algazi have both strongly come out strongly against gay rights in general and specifically against gay marriages. http://www.vexen.co.uk/religion/homosexuality.html This makes any criticism against Ehud Barak meaningless, null and void.

Barak is today an unlikely exemplar of much about our nation - if anything he represents its faults. BUT he is the Defence Minister of the State of Israel and the political master of the IDF. The IDF is not nor should it ever be allowed to become more than one army. It is called the Israel Defence Forces not the God of Israel Defence Forces. Often non-responsive to settler pressure in the past, now is the time for Barak to draw the red line clearly for these rabbis and tell them they cannot and will not be allowed to cross it. It would help if the Prime Minister rose from his precious seat long enough to back Barak overtly rather than utter the usual impressive sounding words that usually mean nothing.

There can be only one chain of command in the IDF, and these rabbis are not part of it. It's time to call their bluff; comply or take off.

Since it's inception, Israel has managed to hold itself together by focusing on external threats, fortified by the mentality of "all the world is against us". That has changed as opinions and relaities in the Arab world have changed. But internally, we are now witnessing the shredding fo the social fabric. This is not new in Jewish history. It occured in the time of the Second Temple between the Hellenistsa, the zealots, the compromisers, and it is happening again. There simply is no shared consensus on what Israel is and should be and they have no Constitution or Bill of Rights to guide them.

Unfortunately , this is the agenda of Rabbis. this should be the agenda of the whole country. Barak has used his rank and command ,time and again , for his personal venue. He runs the Army , the Labor party , and de facto the country for his peronal interests. He has destroyed the Labor party , and so is he causing tremendous damage to the Army. Bibi thought he was using Barak to befriend his foreign counterparts. However , Barak has used Bibi's weakness, and lack of inetgrity to become the defacto PM in Israel. Bibi knows he has a major problem with Barak, but he is terrified to think of calling him to order. Barak deserted the South Lebabnon Army , his own troops in the Tzhelim affair, and his close friends in politics. Everything is legitimate if there is a personal benefit involved. His brutal and conceited behavior against the hesder yeshivos who are the best and dedicated soldiers in the Army is typical of Barak's methods. The whole country should get rid of him. Before he does

... in both instances the protestors are seeking safety in numbers, not in moral justification or serious soul-searching...

and those twerps are inconsequential!

All these parasites care about is money. The cure is to cut them all off and let the students do their IDF time like everyone else. No hiding behind a prayer book to avoid their duty.

Why does not Haaretz report the letter signed by hundreds of ex Hesder Yeshva students agains Rabbi Melamed. Why does not Haaretz report the meeting between the Head of Hesder Yeshiva movment with Barak in which he expressed his opposition to Rabbi Melamd. Haaretz reporters are interested in highlihgting any adversity within the religious camp and ignoring the positiv. In the Chanukah spirit please project the light in your reporting. Esther Sherman