MK (Ichud HaLeumi) Yaakov Katz (Ketzaleh) on Monday, came out with a scathing verbal attack against IDF Chief Rabbi Brig.-Gen. Rafi Peretz, calling him “A weak person and lacking a spine”. Katz made his remarks in relation to recent statements released by Peretz regarding the honor of women, basically selling out Halacha in favor of supporting IDF policy. MK Zevulun Orlev however was not pleased with Katz’s remarks, censuring him for daring to question the IDF chief rabbi, stating that doing so is tantamount to raising one’s and against the IDF and the state, and such a person should be “publically denounced”.

Katz made his remarks during an interview on Galei Yisrael Radio, denouncing both Rav Peretz and IDF Chief of Personnel Major-General Orna Barvibai.

“The trend of IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz and Barvibai is to get rid of the frum bochrim and the chareidim from the IDF. There is a problem in the IDF today. 60% of all the officers up to the position of regiment commander are religious. Whoever controls the IDF controls the country. This is how it was in the past and it will be in the future. They are simply panicked over the reality that the religious officers are taking a major place in the military, and the way to prevent frum officers from remaining in the army is to create difficulties for them as religious Jews.

“Today, the IDF chief rabbi is weak, without a spine. He does not have the strength to deal with things. There were IDF chief rabbis before him, from Rav Goren to Rav Ronsky, and after him there will also be others. In the opinion of the rabbonim and roshei yeshiva, he acted in a weak fashion, not one who enhances the public’s image towards the world of Torah and rabbonim. To my sorry, instead of placing the Torah in a place demanding respect, he opted for military regulations at the expense of kovod HaTorah.

“I was of the opinion that Rav Peretz needs to take a walk some time ago. He simply lacks the strength to stand up to the chief of staff who adheres to the wishes of the chief of personnel. They realize he is a weak person and he simply cooperates with them, adhering to every decision, even if she embarrasses and disgraces religious, dati leumi chareidi (chardal) and chareidi communities. They realize he can be pressured and in the name of the state (He used the term ‘malchut’), and from the perspective of Halacha, he acts incorrectly.”

Responding to the comments was MK Zevulun Orlev, a dati leumi MK. He expressed outrage over Katz’s remarks and accuses him of causing an “unprecedented chilul Hashem by questioning the position of the IDF chief rabbi”.

“I call on MK Katz to take back his words and to issue a public apology to Rabbi Peretz” Orlev stated.

Orlev added, “I am calling on rabbonim from Ichud HaLeumi, first and foremost Rav Dov Lior, HaRav Melamed and Rav Steiner to reaffirm their support for the IDF chief rabbi, his piskei halacha, and recognizing him as the supreme halachic authority in the military”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)