After about 30 yeshiva students entered Kever Yosef on motzei Shabbos without coordinating in advance with the IDF as required, Kosel Rav Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz Shlita condemned the students, stating there is no basis in halacha for their actions.

In this case PA (Palestinian Authority) police saved the students from being abducted or worse as they came under attack with rocks. The PA police summoned the IDF to extricate the youths. Some of the talmidim told IDF authorities that the PA police assaulted them.

Rabbi Rabinowitz explains they not only placed themselves in danger, but caused IDF soldiers to be placed in life-threatening danger too and their actions are unacceptable.

Yossi Dagan, who heads the Shomron Regional Council, calling on Jews to continue visiting Kever Yosef but not to do so without coordinating with security forces are required.

In an audio recording making the rounds on social media, Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlita is heard instructing talmidim to visit Kever Yosef on motzei Shabbos.

Berland made this comment while on the run from Israeli authorities – where he is wanted for allegedly assaulting women. Rabbi Berland has been avoiding arrest for over two years, having traveled to a number of countries including Morocco and Zimbabwe. He lost an appeal to the Supreme Court in Holland and faced extradition to Israel to stand trial for alleged assaults against women. The Rabbi managed to flee Holland before he was taken into custody for extradition, presumably to a country that does not have an extradition treaty with Israel. He is currently in Johannesburg.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)