IDF Chief Rabbi: Troops who show mercy to enemy will be 'damned'

There is no hope for Peace with no sign of mercy. Yes, fanatics will win on either side by their sheer neglect for human life. Justified murder? never.

This man is inciting the troops to commit war crimes. Should he be the chief rabbi of the IDF?

Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. -(Matthew 7:15-20)

The Chumash also commands to kill all the cattle.Had this rabbi overlooked that command ?However, they killed all the chickens in Gaza's chicken farm - perhaps they sufficed as cattle substitutes and thereby the command was fulfilled! David

that fits the Goldstone report. Your quote would be appreciated.

You wrote "...for the most part the Pal population is a willing and complicit partner..." You mentioned NOTHING about human shields. Anybody who reads your text will understand that you blame the whole population. Not the "shields" - try to keep to your own words.

Gee Peter, I think your isolation has affected your critical faculties. Dr Haggett just posted some quotes of the chief rabbi, but you don't speak to the murderous nature of his words. As usual, you just accuse all arguments with which you don't hold dear, as bigoted or anti-semitic. Who is the bigot here?

Since it is Hamas that puts its own people in harms way, I disagree that it's collective punishment. In fact since you hold international law in high esteem maybe you'll look up the law on using civilians as human shields. It's Hamas that hides among the civilians(firing rockets, storing weapons, using apartments and homes as bomb/rocket factories etc.). When you take the situation out of context...which you've done...it's easy to make your case. When I put the situation in context your case evaporates. Your argument attempts to give Hamas a "safe zone" to attack Israel, so when the IDF attempt to defend its citizens it would become a crime. Sorry I'm not buying it!

It's always interesting to watch the reactions when a piece of particularly gross bigotry like this comes out. OK, the Rabbi - who obviously should lose his job instantly as a result of this outburst - is just a jihadist who would find a place in Al-Qayda. But look, for example, at "Mark from Georgis", who can put forward a doctrine which would justify every Palestinian attack on Sderot: the population is complicit in attacks on Israelm so they're lefitimate targets. If you believe that one, any rocket or suicide bombing is justified by the Israeli population's complicity in the IDF killing civilians. But overall it's quite comforting to see, from the talkackers, that the traditional Jewish emphasis on morality and respect for life is still there among Jews. Just not in the IDF.

...so many Israeli Jews and non-Israeli Jews contesting the words and thoughts of the Rabbi. This gives great hope for the future. I also honestly wish that my side (the arabic) abides by international legislation relating to warfare now and in the future. There are rules and regulations which both sides just have to adhere to. Civilians must be spared in all instances, regardless of ethnic origin. Wounded soldiers and POWS have specific rights in wartime, regardless if they are Jews or non-Jews.

You are totally wrong. Collective punishment against a civilian population is NEVER accepted in any modern warfare. Your logic has nothing to do with International law and International legislation in this aspect. Not in Europe, not in the ME, not in the US, not anywhere. Keep your homemade brew for yourself, please.

Who gets to decide on the "when"?

If one had paid more attention to the opinions voiced by the chief rabbi before his appointment to his important position one would not be surprised by his recent statements and positions. It was a mistake appointing him but unfortunately I would assume today because of the makeup of the new IDF the possibity of relieving him of his position is not very realistic. Perhaps in the future all combat soldiers will be in a particular religious persuasion fighting in the name of G-d and in support of the halachic interpretations that they believe in

yes we know, rabbi. and we also know that in preparation for the gaza invasion, you and your extremist rabbi cronies preached to them well on having no mercy AND smiting ALL palestinians, with NO exceptions. it was all over the news, dear rabbi...you and yours urging those righteous and God-fearing warriors to kill them ALL. you sir, have good reason to fear God! and just for the record rabbi, the truly "righteous" have no reason to fear Him.

interesting how your distate for religion begins and ends with Judaism.

please quote what he admitted? PS "The service was held in commemoration of Yosef Fink, one of two yeshiva students kidnapped by Hezbollah in 1986. Their bodies were returned 10 years later in a prisoner exchange." Admit that DOCTOR!

Rodef From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search A rodef (Hebrew רודף, lit. "pursuer"; pl. רודפים, rodefim), in traditional Jewish law, is one who is "pursuing" another to murder him or her. According to Jewish law, such a person must be killed by any bystander after being warned to stop and refusing. The source for this law is the Tractate Sanhedrin in the Babylonian Talmud, page 73a, which begins: And these are the ones whom one must save even with their lives [i.e., killing the wrongdoer]: one who pursues his fellow to kill him [rodef akhar khaveiro lehargo], and after a male or a bethrothed maiden [to rape them]; but one who pursues an animal, or desecrates the Sabbath, or commits idolatry are not saved with their lives. This law, the din rodef ("law of the pursuer"), is significant as one of the few provisions in Jewish law permitting extrajudicial killings. The allowance to kill the rodef does not apply, however, in a case where lesser means would prevent the innocent's murder.[1] Furthermore, according to the Rambam, killing a rodef who may have been stopped by lesser means constitutes murder, though the punishment for a murderer in this case is not dealt out by Beit din.[citation needed]

Rahamim Alsheikh and Yosef Fink were not just "yeshiva students kidnapped by Hezbollah in 1986" as this article states They were, in fact, IDF soldiers serving in Lebanon during Israel's occupation. This article makes it sound like they were simple religious students minding their own business in their own country when Hezbollah swooped down and "kidnapped" them. They were soldiers in an army that was illegally (and brutally) occupying a foreign country after an unprovoked invasion masterminded by General Ariel Sharon. Perhaps a little more context next time?

Israel looks more like Iran every day.

Meo, as long as one allows their enemies to define their morals then they are no better than their enemies. In WWII the western allies did not allow Nazi Germany to define their morals. Yet you believe that the worst Arab Terrorist should define Israeli morals. Life is easy without morals. As you know. But life without morals is depraved, and that I insist is why we must have morals and follow them as an example to the world. No matter how much that offend those who are depraved.

Another open ended opinion on what is writen. Note it says swords, no mention of tanks, guns or F-16s etc where the attacker kills from a safe distance. Sword implies eyeball to eyeball where the skill of both combatents decides the victor.

As the great american philosoper, George S. Patton, once said, "the purpose of war is not to die for your country: the purpose of war is to make the other dumb SOB die for HIS country". The Rabbi is quite correct, although not particularly profound, when he says that no mercy should be shown "when no mercy should be shown". Actually, what he said is not only correct, it is a tautology.

I am fascinated by what Brig. Gen. Avichai Rontzki Had said as I truly believe it reflects the essence of what Israel is about and would like to translate his works into Arabic so the Arabs would have no illusions about Israel and The Israelis , can you please suggest any works by the chief Rabbi.

it takes great discipline to not become dehumanized in war. To see one's enemy as equal and not inferior. To not let war dehumanize oneself.... All these things the Greeks saw clearly. If one sees with what admiration the Greeks saw the Trojans, how Aeschylus saw the humanity in the Persians....etc etc... a much more "civilized" time...for warfare that is...

"why is this Rabbi even in the IDF to begin with???" One would have to assume it is because the IDF staff believes that the values that he espouses are the values that need to be taught to the soldiers of the IDF. Whyever else would he be holding that job, israeliguy?

I am not Jewish but it is obvious to me the IDF Chief Rabbi's statements to the students were in fact a rapid fire surgical destruction of the most common pseudo philosophical reasons given fit young men to use in self justifying evasion of proper military service in defence of their people. In essence, at the time, he was not talking to experienced troops, he was talking to inexperienced children, and he told them that not serving with their cousins in defence of the people is wrong. Critics should try reading the article again and think about the context and notions the Brig. Gen. raised.

We are all heros as long as the US muscle stands in back of us.

According to the rules of engagement, you sometimes do show mercy to the enemy. If a combatant is wounded and on the ground it's illegal to shoot him. It violates the laws of war. The article didn't clarify what the rabbi means by the enemy. Does he simply mean Hamas militants or Palestinians as a whole? Regardless, he is still advocating war crimes. He should be fired for this. The fact that he hasn't been fired for his statements in the past shows Israel is not serious about following international law when it comes to the rules of war. Israel expects the enemy to keep captured soldiers alive, and the enemy is supposed to be kept alive, not killed. Such advice could endanger Israeli soldiers if they followed it with a bad tit for tat.

Rather than exhorting young soldiers not to show mercy, the Rabbi would do better to exhort them to obey orders. Israel needs an army of discipline, not an army of barbarians.

He stated his opinion, something you are allowed to do in Israel. As to the population being "innocent" are you saying they are? In what sense? If you know a crime is about to be committed and keep silent because you want the crime to succeed are you an accomplice to the crime? Of course you are! Make no mistake about it, for the most part the Pal population is a willing and complicit partner in Israeli attacks. There is an abundance of proof. So are they legitimate targets, that is the question. You seem to think not. I would disagree.

tell me the difference between the two extremists? i can, one has money and the other doesn't.

There are those who see this man as the personification of Israel. There are those who think that Israel need have no morals. And there are those who think that Israel was a better place when it had better morals. Those that state Israel need have no morals are affirming the claims of those who wish to use Brig. Gen. Avichai Rontzki to club Israel with. Thus only those who are disappointed by the decline in public morals by Israel in the last decade are the only ones actually defending it.

The great comedian, George Carlin, had an interesting take on all of this. It always seems like the more religous you are, the more inclined you are towards killing. It says "Thou Shalt not kill", but the more religous you are, the more negotiable that becomes. It depends on whom it is you're killing. George Carlin said it best when he was alive, so this is basically his observation. One doesn't have to look far either to find examples of religion calling for bloodshed. The crusades, the inquisition, Northern Ireland, and Gaza all prove the point that killing in God's name is a sacred act and has always been defended by people such as this IDF Chief Rabbi, and the more religious you are, the more willing to kill you are.

PC and apologetics do not belong in Purim, and Purim is 100% Jewish forever and ever !

who lived in the entire Persian Empire. How they were dealt with by the Jews, and not just Haman and his family. Since then Jews celebrate the joyous festival of Purim, every year !

I wonder if anyone asked the Chief Rabbi what he thinks of Rabin? What if another Israeli government comes along and begins the pullout from the West Bank, what with the IDF Chief Rabbi say then? I hope the leadership of the IDF is seriously looking at this issue and whether members of the IDF in the settler movement are really loyal to the State and democracy, whatever it decides, or to their own ideology.

For 60+ years Israeli civilians have been systematically targeted and murdered by enemy whose objective was to kill as much as Jews as possible. While chief rabbi talks about no mercy to enemy,the other side has been not just talking,but also practising it since 1948 even if that meant to kill a child or woman so who can be really surprised that Arab bestialities have created this kind of show no mercy to enemy responses in Israel? Still better than Egyptian Cleric Muhammad Hussein Ya?qoub's The Jews Are the Enemies of Muslims Regardless of the Occupation of Palestine. http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/2042.htm

This is the kind of garbage Sheikhs, Mullahs and Imams and other professional Muslims spread as a matter of course. That the IDF tolerates this is a "shanda" for the whole Jewish people, but it can be rectified. I hope such a recitification will take place soon. Alltogether, there should be no position for a Chief-Rabbi or any chief-cleric of any religion in any army.

Is it the Goldstone report the rabbi objects to or International Humanitarian Law in general? Either way, this man shows just how little the claims of Israeli moral superiority are worth.

For Hamas who believe that they too are fighting for their independence, they too have the same mentality, killing anobody who stands in their way, so they use suicide bombings. Killing is a dual carrigeway that will end nowhere except in PEACE NEGOCIATIONS.

Our rabbis and haredim are becomig more similar to Hamas and Imams who encourage their followers to kill. I cannot understand why the IDF Chief Rabbi is still in his job. He should have been dismissed long ago after his remarks during the last war in Gaza and saying that woman shouldn't serve. It is bad enough that rabbis of yeshivot tells people in the army to disobey orders when they don't agree with their ideas, but for the Chief Rabbi of the IDF to encourage soldiers to show no mercy towards enemies is going beyond his role as Chief Rabbi. When are the authorities going to wake up? There are people in our midst trying to impose religion on the whole country. What have the haredim contributed to Israel? Why do I have to support them sitting around doing nothing but "learning"? When will they stop desecrating their Shabbes by throwing stones at people since 1948 without ever having been brought to justice? They are citizens of this country and live according to their own laws?

instructing his followers in the IDF. Goldstone in his report claimed that this is what Israel was up to, but Israel has vehemently denied it. This is serious. After all this is the Chief Rabbi of the IDF and he is a Brig. Gen. He is in other words a high ranking IDF officer. The first that has come clean on what Israel was up to.

The good rabbi's ugly and dehumanized racism reminds me why I would like to apply for excommunication from the faith. Please advise.

Religion leads to insanity and war, where even a rabbi becomes a butcher. If he's not fired from the IDF in the next two weeks, we know that the IDF thinks the same. Or do we know that right now already? I'm afraid yes! Israel's morality has sunken very, very deep.

IDF Rabbi, Unbridled babbling is the bane of the simpleton. What is that Rabbi doing in their company ? Can't people of authority & in public light just shut up !? What might be said in private,has no place the public domain. Can't someone put sense into this Rabbi ?

Nasrallah, who is a religious man himself, declared last week that selling drugs to enemy soldiers is prohibited and unethical. This IDF CHIEF RABBI is such a small man in comparaison.

The total lack of support here from the usual apologists is telling. he put his foot in it big time. as least he was telling us the truth if nothing else. it is clear those soldiers of which there are many serving in the idf of this religious bent will have applied to the letter his teachings. just what Goldstone said they did

your damnation. I think you are relatively safe--in The Rabbis world.

“you don’t sense from the captains that there’s any logic to this [the order to open fire on anything that moved], but they didn’t say anything. To write sentences on the wall: “Death to Arabs,” to take family snapshots and spit on them, to burn everything belonging to the family, just because you could. I think that this was the most central thing: to understand how much the IDF had fallen concerning its ethics. No matter how much we say that the IDF is a an ethical army, let’s just say it didn’t work that way in the field, not at the regimental level. That’s the thing I will most remember." http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/objects/pages/PrintArticle.jhtml?itemNo=1072036

with him. He also strengthens the claim by Justice Goldstone that Israel,s leaders intended to punish all Palestinians. We will wait to see how long he keeps his job.

this presumably religious individual did not follow his own advice;serving in idf rabbinate ,somewhere around tel aviv is hardly combat,it is quintessential jobnikhood.

...it's disturbing to see how many fellow bozos are out there supporting him. His language is akin to that of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Could any of you possibly imagine Churchill, Roosevelt, Montgomery, Eisenhower or even Patton endorsing such language during WWII? And what's this IDF officer doing schmoozing in a West Bank settlement? Fire him!

we are not discussing if Israel has the right to defend herself or not. All nations have the right to defend themselves, including the Israeli nation, the Palestinian, the Iranian,Norwegian,Burmese etc etc. The question is how far can we allow the military units to go ? No mercy ? Extermination ? If you consider that all human beings have the same value, then the question is easy to reply to. If you think that some nations are superior and other inferior, then you can motivate the extermination-policy ! Right or wrong ?

your words will be added to the "Israeli intentions" file and used against Israel.

An IDF (Israel State) military uniform? Is the Zionist Rabbi speaking on behalf of the Jewish God or Israel?

any good of religion is erased by the HATE they have for the unbelievers from the other side,' my God is bigger than yours' right Petra?

...we are in the year of 2009, soon turning into 2010. Atrocities should be kept to a minimum, and not supported or motivated with ancient anachronistic texts. That goes for ALL parties.

It sound like it's some innocent persons that was kidnapped. But in reality isn't so that these persons were taken prisoner while armed and dangerous inside lebanese territory?

Does that mean Hamas and Hezbollah should kill every Jewish soldier they capture? I know they want to exchange them for prisoners. Let's say Israel kills everyone it captures then the other side would do the same? Anyway, wouldn't the world wonder why the Jewish state is acting so fascist? How do we know who is an enemy or not? What if a soldier shoots and then asks questions saying the honorable rabbi told him to do so? He quoted Maimonides. Maimonides was friends with Saladin who spared his enemies in many cases and also told Jews to return to live in the Holy Land.

not some fringe loony Rabbi, but the top shot. His very words will be spounged by various NGO's and added to an already, under siege, IDF file. Very unlucky and maybe the IDF should convince him of an early retirement. He is not only a danger to them, but also to the state of Israel. Some policies should be kept secret.

The rabbi should shut up. Personal opinions are to be kept personal. Further, his comments are transmitted worldwide giving a bad name to Israel. We have enough enemies, and do not need more. Erwin

To Eric: Every state has at least two faces. You have a luxury of living in piece in Canada and perhaps don't see this. But make no mistake- should a war break out on Canadian soil, you will see your own ugly face. History is replete with examples of it

You quoted: "He Who Is Merciful To The Cruel, Will In The End Be Cruel To The Merciful." Well - I don't understand the logic in this statement. Isn't it just a play with words ? For instance, in the example I gave on General Shazli (#41) - do you recommend the Egypitan army to continue to be Cruel to Israeli POWs (otherwise they will be "cruel to the merciful" in the future) - or do you think all parties should adhere to International rules and regulations concerning modern warfare ?

"Everyone fought with all their heart and soul, and that includes bravery of course, but also fighting with all the resources one has - to fight as if to truly determine the mission." How can he spin this so as not to justify suicide attacks?

amakites in todays time, is refeared to someone who wants to wipe out the jewish people

-"Likewise, Adolf Hitler proclaimed that his chosen people should show no mercy on the vanquished, on these subhumans, and should delight in killing and displacing them and stealing their property--for after all, these were subhumans." A.H. What has happened to Israel? Your Army's Chief Rabbi is emulating Hitlers doctrine.

This is the oxymoron that is Israel. The Jewish people I have met here, gone to school with, worked with and even got drunk with, do not in anyway shape or form resemble the Jews of Israel. Yet Israel claims to represent all Jews. Which is kind of confusing when you saw the marches by Jews in London, Leeds and Manchester supporting Cast Lead. When my friends roundly condemned what one termed The Slaughter of the Children Which when you think of it is probably why the BNP supports Israel. I just don't get it really.

Sure I understand what you mean. Still there are fanatic people who literally want to use religious texts in an ancient context. Either we accept the rules and regulations of modern warfare, including the conventions and agreements entailed in those rules, or we find ourselves in an anachronistic disaster. That applies for BOTH sides - pls se my posting "Parallell incident" #41

-"We call on you ... to function according to the law 'kill the one who comes to kill you.' As for the population, it is not innocent ... We call on you to ignore any strange doctrines and orders that confuse the logical way of fighting the enemy." Let's hope they call on the IDF Chief Rabbi to appear before the Court in the Hague and explain what he ment with these 'orders' to the relious soldiers in the IDF fighting in Gaza. He is advocating War Crimes and "possible crimes against humanity".

Someone please put this rabbi in a psychiatric asylum before he soils Israel's image abroad and the IDF's honor even more?

Sir, with all due respect to what the Israeli military Tat Aluf Chief Rabbi said, it is questionable that the sentence he used from the book Jeremiah applies: "Cursed... work of the Lord....": May I recommend that he spares the time to look for an appropriate sentence in the Talmud.

Has the IDF any control of these soldiers that take directives from the Rabbi rather than from their commanders in the field?

does it mean to kill woman and children mean be a strong army? woww nice nice logic

Two thoughts came to me reading this: First: Does this mean that the state should have no mercy when calling up young religious men for military duty? Second: Having no mercy on the battlefield does not mean committing atrocities. I have noted that some have tried to make this a call to commit genocide, that interpretation is virulent racism and usually an attempt to justify genocide.

Thankfully no Israeli military commander will take any notice of this daft statement if only for the reason that it will harm IDF operations. We all know that war and the military is a cold hearted, ruthless business. However it requires clear minds and cool heads. You can leave merciless actions to the SS. That is why they lost.

Brig. Gen. Avichai Rontzki is a godsend to those who loath Israel and wish to damn it. He is a gift to those who wish Israel portrayed as a monster. The IDF impeached by the Goldstone Report is convicted by the words of Brig. Gen. Avichai Rontzki. What will happen now? Will Brig. Gen. Avichai Rontzki suddenly retire? Or will his words be endorsed in fact by his retention?

Even though I am an Israel supporter, on this point I fully agree with you!

This is the CHIEF Rabbi, not some obscure loony, but an official loony. Scary.

have been arrested by the secular authorities if they would be alive today.

is this Iran? or the "light of the nations and the only democracy in the middle east"??? If this was an Iranian or an other Muslim cleric with no formal military position the entire world will be roaring with condemnation!! lovely, indeed

Well, now we understand why so many hundreds of women and children were killed by this "religious" army. With this rabbi's" rules of engagement, no wonder Goldstone found so much evidence of war crimes. His disciples merely followed his p'sukim. David

Chazal tell us:' He Who Is Merciful To The Cruel, Will In The End Be Cruel To The Merciful." This is so true. Kol hakavod to Rav Ronski.

Show no mercy to your enemy? Well well. Evil begets evil. Salaam/Shalom

This rabbi shows the ugly face of Israel represented by the religious right there. That to me is no different from the muslim fundamentalists. Even if they don't carry terrorist attacks, the violent intention is there. Unfortunately the Israeli society has two faces: one that is modern, progressive and democratic. And another one that is regressive, theocratic and ugly.

First we have a rabbi that says it's acceptable to kill babies and children then we have no less than the IDF chief rabbi that says that no mercy should be shown to an enemy, are we sure that these two idiots are even real rabbis? I am sure that both these men will come out with statements that their words were taken out of context, unfortunately that will be too little too late, the damage to Jews in general and to the IDF's reputation has already been done and its going to take a hell of a lot of work to undo it, if it's even possible. Where did Rontzky find his Smicha, a Bazooka chewing gum wrapper?

"All those howling against the Rabbi want Israel to lose in war ." This silly statement just goea to show how many wars Sweden has fought and how much experience Swedish men had fighting the Nazis. It was common knowledge amongst British Jews who fought with the Allied forces that the Jewish brigade had lost the plot by simply "showing no mercy". They had to be disbanded because they actually hindered progress in their field of operations. A modern army is based upon humanity, discipline and following orders that is how it functions and succeeds not by following gut instincts. Oh and by the way many streets and buildings in the UK are actually named after Ord Wingate.

All he is saying in the framework of the sources quoted is that if Hamas operate from civilian buildings you are allowed to go in and attack Hamas in spite of their human shields. He is pointing out that Hamas is responsible for civilian deaths if Hamas places human shields between themselves and the IDF. I believe this view accords with international laws of war. It has nothing to do with genocide.

The meaning of Jeremiah 48.10 is that when G-d commanded Israel to go to war they must not feel it is their own power that defeats Moab, it is G-d alone who gives them victory. There are several possible translations. The Breuer trans. is 'Cursed be he who does G-d's work with falsehood; cursed be he who withholds his sword from the blood.' Maimonides in Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim describes all the precautions required to prevent civilian deaths, and Israel followed these rules by telephoning many thousands of civilians asking them to leave the war zone and by dropping untold numbers of leaflets saying where the IDF would be attacking, so civilians could leave. I don't recall Hamas phoning to ask people to clear the way for suicide bombers who killed 1,250 Israelis, including 125 children. Here in England, for many years the IRA did send warnings to evacuate buildings that were targets for bombers.

and this rabbi gives real credence to not only war crimes were committed and furture war crimes are planned

Of course you are correct. Amalek as a specific race or tribe disappeared very long ago. I was using Amalek to symbolise those who fight to destroy the people of Israel, as I might speak of the Biblical Haman or Hitler as an embodiment of Amalek. Hamas's charter says their purpose is to annihilate Israel and all Jews. When the Iranian President says he wants to wipe Israel off the map his voice is an echo of Amalek. It's similar to calling people with no culture 'Philistines' or calling someone exceptionally helpful a 'Good Samaritan.' It's symbolic, not racial.

only to find out I was damned.

....with extremism as Islam does.

With each pronouncement of our military & political leaders we reveal ourselves further as a primitive society. This latest 'offering' by the IDF chief rabbi is truly repulsive by any standards of human decency. Is there no act so low that one of our 'elites' can't find a justification for? It seems not.

I really don't think that this forum is an appropriate place to discuss what makes the best Israeli Soldier. If Israel has an edge on making the best combat soldier for some reason, I think it would be a better idea to keep it a military secret. Let the outside World speculate if they want but Israel should keep some things a secret. That's just common sense. By the way, Iran broadcast a televised report on how they trained. They looked like crap.

if Israel is to win . Wingate has turned the bunch of Palmach's tree-huggers into an effective fighting force,winning over the arabs . He has never been popular in Britain for his support of Jews in the Mandate and he was not popular in the elitarian kibbutz society ,for going against their "Sancity of Blood " doctrine. He became the most succesful commander of the British forces in Burma during the WW2 and creator of the British Special forces ,a precursor to the SAS. All those howling against the Rabbi want Israel to lose in war .

With everything? Including chemical,biological,nuclear? The Samson Option must be closer than I thought.

THE RABBI IS PROMOTING GENOCIDE, PLAIN AND SIMPLE

Don't know much about this Rabbi so can't speak about the context. But the article's title seems clearly designed to "spin" the Rabbi's words. The Rabbi qualifies with the critical phrase, "when no mercy should be shown" as in "if he shows mercy toward his enemy when no mercy should be shown." Wouldn't most reasonable people agree that when someone is on a mission, he should relentlessly pursue the goal?" Let's do less spinning and more talking to each other.

I could not believe what I was reading. Is the IDF chief rabbi still rooted in the moral level of Israel's bronze age past? Have we not learned anything over the past 3000 years? I hope he does not represent the current ethical level of our religion in Israel.

If not it should be, he and others like him should be purged from the IDF immediately! But if not send him over here, he would look great on CNN or Fox. Its about time the US sheep herd the unvarnished hate that is sweeping across Israel and worst of all in Gods name.......PEACE EVER?

In war you must fight to win. At least one leader is willing to admit that.

Maimonides does not say 'show no mercy'; in fact, he makes various provisions for showing mercy. The passage from Jeremiah (48:10) does not say 'show no mercy'. The question I have is: what does the IDF Chief Rabbi mean when he says it is forbidden to show mercy 'when no mercy should be shown'? In what specific circumstances is it possible and yet impermissible to show mercy? And why should the Chief Rabbi not also acknowledge that Maimonides does make provision for giving quarter? We are getting this second hand, but the quotes here do sound like the lazy generalisations of a politician rather than the precision of an authority on religious Jewish texts.

So much for the most moral army in the world! According to the Head Rabbi of the IDF that would be a sin! Maybe in heaven he will be the executioner too, spending eternity listening to the screams of the condemned! Nice picture of him though, what thoughts are going through his mind to get such a big smile?.... Peace Ever?

This gives Israel a "two-fer"; not only can they have the most moral army in the world, but also the most merciless.

If you don't fight, you're damned. Does this fatwa apply to any ultra-orthodox who don't fight?

"As for the population, it is not innocent ... We call on you to ignore any strange doctrines and orders that confuse the logical way of fighting the enemy."

The Egyptian general Saad el-Shazly who showed bravery and skill in the war of 1967, was also a skillful military in the war 1973. Notwithstanding, he ordered no mercy towards Israeli war prisoners in the latter conflict, and the testimonies of that are clear and conclusive. That kind of behaviour is both un-Islamic and in breach with all known international conventions and laws relating to modern warfare.

God-fearing people,are people who fear themselves,not God.But if they fear God,they fear a mental image that exist only in their heads

During the second world war the Jewish brigade has to be pulled out of operations and sent to the rear as they had actually become a liability in the war. They behaved as the rabbi suggested but the effect was that the Italians and Germans failed to surrender and fought to the last when their position was hopeless. they became an embarrassment to the rest of the highly trained and disciplined Jewish soldiers who fought as a part of the alled armies. Losing all self control and hysterical behaviour does not win wars but is a serious liability.

The Rabbi shows his total ignorance . I pity the poor men that he gave that advice to, should they be foolish enough to listen to his empty words. Showing mercy for any soldier is an essential part of his fighting skill. For unless the enemy knows that he will be treated in accordance with the rules of war the task ahead is made that much more difficult. Prisoners cannot be taken and neither will they surrender. That same soldier who showed no mercy cannot expect any himself when rendered helpess before the enemy.

...the Amalek. They are either descendents of Hebrews(Jakobs seed)(including the Tribe of Juda) or the descendents of Brethren of Israel (Moabites, Edomites etc etc). Amalek has nothing to do with present wars and conflicts. The Amalkites are longtime extinct.

Laws of War Art. 23. In addition to the prohibitions provided by special Conventions, it is especially forbidden - To declare that no quarter will be given// One can't even say no quarter will be given!

This Rabbi. Along with a great many others from the orthodox side of the divide. "It is forbidden to be merciful to them[Arabs]. You must send missiles to them and annihilate them. They are evil and damnable,"Former Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yosef Ovadia, and spiritual leader of Shas. He recently referred to Obama as a 'slave' who was now ruling 'the world'. "One million Arabs are not worth a Jewish fingernail." - Rabbi Yaacov Perrin in his eulogy of Dr. Baruch Goldstein, Feb. 27, 1994. This is not untypical. All these people and dozens more are capable of giving any blood curdling Hamasnik a run for their money. More's to the point, it is they who have their itchy fingers on the IDF trigger, intimately involved in the desensitizing of IDF soldiers and pilots.

Well, seems rebbe Ronzki is going overboard. On the other hand, Hamas, Hizbullah and "Persia" will feel comfortable with this language, it's theirs. Ok so no we are heading to a religious war. The question is who has the strongest god. If it goes on like that I do not see any end of the conflict in the near future unless annihilation of one party or total subdue. Age of darkness is upon us.

I recall Netivah Ben-Yehudah describe her stint in the Palmach. She said that they had an affinity with the Arab soldiers until she, at least, saw how they related to their soldiers, and the Jews who fought against them. It wasn't nice, and . . . she knew what she what she was fighting for. Mr. Pfeffer should have done his homework before he set his fingers to the keyboard. Yes, there are situations where Jewish soldiers are required to hold back their mercy. Indeed, it is said that "He who is merciful to cruel people, are bound to become as cruel to their own". You see it with the latter day Yevseks who watch the unemployed, the injured, and even wounded soldiers line up for their benefits while they sit around telling you about their days in the Palmach. If I recall, didn't the Old Man disband them after there was rumor that they were planning to take over the government of the State of Israel? Ah, but that was another form of religion.

Israel has a peace treaty with Egypt and another with Jordan. It has worked to improve relations with other moderate Arab states, and pulled out of Gaza to allow the PA to get started. Arabs sit in the Israeli Parliament and have equal rights in Israel. Where is the racial incitement? Is the Anglo-American war on terror against Al Quaeda et co a form of racial incitement? An enemy trying to destroy your country must be stopped. That has nothing to do with racial incitement.

...to the descendents of the Prophet Jakob ? 90-95 % of the Palestinians in Gaza are direct descendents of the Hebrews that remained in the holy land and in due time converted to Christianity and Islam.It is their land too, and there is nowhere written that specifically the tribe of Juda has the right from G-d almighty to exterminate descendents of the other Hebrew tribes or converts from Juda. Pls Google on: Tzvi Misinai, the engagement etc

In war like anything else one should fight with everything he or she has to win, anything else is self defeating and will bring disaster and defeat. The Rabbi is 100% right and he understands Torah perfectly. I applaud him for that.

Yet guys like you complain that "the religious" don't serve in the IDF !! Dude, you can't have it both ways.

Racial incitement? 20% of Israeli citizens are Arabs. No one is inciting against them. The West Bank is mainly Arabs. No one is inciting against them. In time of war one is fighting a specific enemy, such as Hamas and those who support them by voting them into power. When Britain fought the Germans in WW I and WW II, calling for strength and courage to defend British civilisation was not racist incitement, it was common sense.

I assume Jeremiah and Rambam are speaking of a milchemes mitzvah or 'commanded war' such as protecting the Holy Land from Amalekites. Without going into detail it appears that Hamas and Hezbollah come into the category of Amalekites, whose goal is the destruction of Israel. In such a case even if the enemy operates from civilian locations one must defeat them and in the case of Hamas the people themselves actually voted for a Hamas govt and therefore share some of the responsibility. When Israel left Gaza in 2005 the PA should have commenced state building, but instead Hamas created a terrorist state and a front for Iran.

replace him with someone whom truly understands the Torah,its values and the impact its supposed to have on the IDF code of arms. unless we all want to turn the IDF into the spitting image of Hamas and Hezzbollah something needs to be done abt him and those delusional west bank yeshiva students. I think religous ppl should not serve in Combat units let alone talk about warfare in this day and age they should focus on counselling traumatised soldiers.

The Chief Rabbi of the Israeli Defence Forces, no less, a moral army as we have been assured time and time again, damns mercy. From the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: 'The term ?morality? can be used either descriptively to refer to a code of conduct put forward by a society or, some other group, such as a religion, or accepted by an individual for her own behavior or normatively to refer to a code of conduct that, given specified conditions, would be put forward by all rational persons.' Read on: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/morality-definition/ He's defined how a moral army should comport itself in war. Maybe we should ask him to define a moral peace for us.

..after Israel supported him for a looong time...

I know that militaries everywhere retain religious people to maintain morale, but this is not helpful. If taken seriously---and a position of Chief Rabbi ought to suggest that---this would mean that the IDF could only be "the most moral army in the world" by being the most utterly merciless. Maimonides, who was Salah al-Din's personal physician, believed in and recommended the discriminating and sometimes downright kind approach to warfare that was practiced by his noble Muslim employer. I doubt that he would be pleased with the selective use that the IDF's Chief Rabbi Rontzki makes of his words.

is this what America is defending?

no mercy means killing a deed that is traumatic for Israeli soldiers because it is against all their education. This so called rabbi is confused by islamic influences and the daily terror attacks on Israel's citizens.

The is more the Rabbi should have said. He who shows mercy to the merciless, will eventually show hatred and oppress his own brother. Just as the weak, self-promoting governments have steered the gullible, fearful masses to hate the Religious, and the settler movement. Just as the world found new reasons to hate Jews, the leftist found new reasons to hate themselves. The nationalist settler movement are the only ones who were immune to this political, hateful, mind-controlling propaganda.

MoM: "Show an enemy mercy and he may knife you in the back, given the chance. " And grant your enemy no quarter and they will have no reason to give up. Ever.

These words do not fall on deaf ears. The religious right which subscribes to the Biblical propaganda about the 'conquest' and other myths and legends just perpetuates the more unseemly passages in the O.T; Israel's image and interests are not served by the Rabbi's nonsensical and malignant diatribes.

Just as we address the PR hasbara issue with Israel bashers abroad -we also need to address the " Salt of the Earth " religious American Fanatics and religious west bank settlers, who live a lawless criminal life for over 30 years. This " rabbi" should be in jail.I presume they will say his words were taken out of context and we secular misunderstand! HAL.

Thank you Haaretz for giving the world a view of how the IDF Chief Rabbi indoctrinates what it ludicrously calls the "world's most moral army." It is particularly disturbing given the extreme assymmetry of Israeli wars (13:1400 kill ratio). IDF soldiers are rarely in harm's way, yet they kill a grossly disproportionate number of civilians and children. Now we know why. To them mercy - even to civilians - is to be condemned. Yet, Israel wonders why the world condemns it? This guy, along with the WB Rabbi who condoned the killing of Gentile babies, is to Judiasm as Ben Laden is to Islam: the personification of the most twisted, amoral, self-centered rotten core of an otherwise beautiful religion. This makes it very easy for anyone to believe the Goldstone report. These rabbis are encouraging precisely the same kind of hatred and ruthlessness that leads to the types of war crimes Israel denies. But the worst of it is that this is the IDF Chief Rabbi!

?We don?t hate the Jews and fight them because they are Jews. They are people of religion and we are people of religion. We love people of religion If my brother, who has the same religion and parents as me. If he takes my home and expel(s) me from my land. I will fight him. I will fight my brother. I will fight my cousin if he does that to me. So when a Jew takes my home and expels me, I will fight him as well. " http://tinyurl.com/y8ewves/myths-mis-conceptions-propaganda/#they-hate-Jews

558. There is evidence that some soldiers killed Palestinian women and children in cold-blood by shooting them at close range (see above paras 226-258). This evidence has been confirmed by the testimony of members of the IDF at a course at the Oranim Academic College in Israel to the effect that soldiers killed women and children in cold-blood with no remorse, scrawled graffiti on Palestinian walls and destroyed the content of homes in a wanton fashion (see above, paras 60-69). Such testimony might be viewed as evidence of wanton, reckless behaviour, rather than genocidal intent were it not for the fact the soldiers also speak of military rabbis encouraging the belief that they were engaged in a religious war and should not show mercy to the non- Jewish enemy who should be expelled from the holy land.

Israeli prisoners of war. Latest example Gilad Shalit, with no access in years, to the Red Cross.

In the UK incitement of racial hatred is a crime, perhaps that's the subtle difference between a democracy and a theocracy.

(1) Shakespeare: The quality of mercy is not strained. (2) IDF Chief Rabbi: The quality of mercy is not acceptable.

Religious beliefs and ideology has no room in the army!

comment, and the limited response to them, it's been a bad week for any moderates still believing that something isn't rotten in the state of Israel. These guys are evil without the veil. They make the most extreme comments about Palestinians and if there is any response at all from politicians and government, it is as restrained as the comments by the murderous Jewish fascists are not. So what does showing them no mercy mean? Taking no prisoners? Murder.

Don't show mercy to an enemy who will kill you. Their use of human shields are no excuse to surrender.

This is a true statement. A true warrior is a true believer, one that does not have any sins on his hand, one that is pure and honest and straight. Do you know anyone like that?

Grants absolution in no-holds-barred warfare.

This is a fine example of the religious insanity that has, an will again, bring destruction down upon our people. We Jews learn NOTHING from history.

Is he referring to taking prisoners? If so, this is frightening.

And why shouldnt Hamas do the same? If you look closer, it is trivial: war is war and yes, yes, no, no. It does not justify anything.