There is a growing controversy involving an alleged statement by Rabbi Yisrael Rosen, director of the Tsomet Institute in Israel. According to various sites, Rosen stated “All of the Palestinians must be killed; men, women, infants, and even their beasts.” Here. This article is attributed to a publication in Haaretz on March 26, 2008. I cannot find references where Rosen called for such a crime. Instead, Rosen seems to engage in some inflammatory biblical illusions. Rosen may argue that he was merely making a biblical reference to the Amalekites that did not directly call for the killing of Palestinians. Yet, if so, it was a uniquely provocative choice of biblical references.
According to these reports, the statement was made by Rosen and picked up by various newspapers. Rosen allegedly compared the Palestinians with the Amalekites that attacked the Israelite tribes during the time of Moses. Here is the quote attributed to Rosen:
“Annihilate the Amalekites from the beginning to the end. Kill them and wrest them from their possessions. Show them no mercy. Kill continuously, one after the other. Leave no child, plant, or tree. Kill their beasts, from camels to donkeys. . . . Amalekites will remain as long as there are Jews. In every age Amalekites will surface from other races to attack the Jews, and thus the war against them must be global.”
In this story, Rosen is qouted as saying
“Those who slaughter students poring over their Torah, those who rain Qassams down indiscriminately on men, women, old and young, babes and sucklings – those who hail the destruction of Israel and dance on the blood, are Amalek in our generation,” and therefore “only with hostility, and by conquering our humane emotions that are contrary to that, will we be victorious.”
The suggestion that the Palestinians are like the Amalekites obviously suggests that similar treatment would be justified. One would have to assume that Rabbi Rosen could not possibly intend such a genocidal meaning. However, this is occurring at a time of raw hateful statements on both sides, click here and here.
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He’s not a “leading rabbi.”
No one except a small bunch of fanatical followers have heard of him.
bk
If this rabbi actually exists, he represents a very small bunch of religious fanatics who believe that their god gave Israel to them, and no one else has any rights there. About 10% of Israelis belong to the orthodox community (Haredi), mostly around Jerusalem, and in illegal settlements in the occupied territories. They are deeply resented by most Israelis, because they are subsidized by the Israeli govt., total parasites. But they believe in large families, have lots of kids, and they vote as a block. They are generally uneducated, except for “holy books,” spend their time in study, and contribute little to Israeli society. But they are powerful, and have a strong role in Israeli law and custom.
bk
“One would have to assume that Rabbi Rosen could not possibly intend such a genocidal meaning.”
Are you serious? Why would you have to assume that? Not only their Rabbis but their government officials make such violent statements all the time. (i.e. “level a square mile in Gaza for every Qassem”). And not only are they saying it, they are already doing it in Gaza by blocking food, medical supplies, electricity and gas. You don’t have to kill 6 million to commit a genocide …
The “quote” by the Rabii as put forth by the Arabic news source was false. There was no reference to those words in the Haaretz article. No wonder the Arabic news source didn’t provide a link.
More anti-Israeli propaganda in a sea of anti-Israeli propaganda.
Is there be any wonder at the fact that religious extremists on both sides of the Israeli issue exhibit extremist belief? Whenever clergymen of fundamental views engage in political discourse they invariably promulgate viewpoints antithetical to the very core of the particular belief itself. All religious fundamentalist leaders whether Jew, Christian or Moslem produce philosophies counter to the core beliefs of their religion. While the source of Rabbi Rosen’s statement is important in the determination as to whether he actually said it, the sad fact is that fundamentalism invariably leads to extremism, which although foisted as prime tenets of a faith, are in fact not harmonious with that faith. Separation of Church and State is essential to start the task of reuniting humanity and diminishing wars which are almost always caused by misguided fundamentalist belief.
JT has been hanging around Keith Olbermann too long.
To JT & Olbermann, it is no longer important that there is no factual evidence to an allegation, it is enoughthat an allegation is being made that makes it worthy to repeat until enough believe there is truth to it.
Shame on Keith.
Shame on JT.
OOPS! That last reference should have read RABBI Rosen, I added the extra “e” by mistake. My apologies. I knew I should have had more coffee before starting to write. 🙂
JT, the toughest part about attributing alleged internet statements is tracking them to the original source, if there is one. For example, did Rabbi Rosen have any kind of column or blog like yours? Did Rosen himself write a column or post making those specific statements, or is it all coming from other sources?
You said it yourself, in your first paragraph, “according to various sites.” My question is, okay, but WHICH site made the statements first, or is it not that easy to find? If these alleged statements can’t be traced back to Rabbie Rosen directly, then I’d have to view them with a healthy dose of skepticism until it’s known exactly WHO they came from. I say this from the viewpoint of someone who has posted on various forums over the last few years. 🙂
Hegel was right.
The bad infinite.