In Israel, even if state officials rule, the High Court of Justice gets its way.

State Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein announced recently that he was closing the case against the rabbonim, ruling the sefer was definitely not inciteful and did not call for or support attacks against Arabs, but was an academic work discussing halacha.

Despite the announcement, the High Court of Justice has ruled that even thought the attorney general feels there is no crime, the copies of the book that were confiscated do not have to be returned to their owner.

The court ruled the seforim will remain with the authors’ attorney, and not returned to the authors, Rabbi Yitzchak Shapira and Rabbi Yosef Elitzur.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)