Chief Rabbi of Shomron and Rosh Yeshiva of the Elon Moreh Hesder Yeshiva Rabbi Elyakim Levanon Shlita has spoken out regarding Migron amid reports of an imminent government expulsion of that community. Rav Levanon stated “Whoever raises a hand against Migron will have it cut off and the prime minister should know this”. The rav made his remarks at a kenos of victims of the government’s 2005 “Disengagement Plan”, the expulsion of Jews from Gaza and N. Shomron.

Trying to highlight the difference of the frum and non-frum communities, the rav stated that recently, two elderly Jews were niftar, referring to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s father, Professor Bentzion Netanyahu z”l and HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv zt”l, pointing out “one of them left 1,400 descendants and the other 10, and this is one of the differences between us”.

The rav spoke of the dedication and determination of the religious tzibur to the Land of Israel, and how the dati leumi soldiers are the backbone of the IDF, without whom “there would be no army today”. On the other hand, he questioned the values and contribution of the secular community today. “Who is going to go to the army, the families raising two children and a dog?”

Ynet adds that in an interview with the rav he explains his words are not to be interpreted as incitement against the prime minister, explaining when he says his “hand will be cut off” he is referring to in Shomayim.

Rabbi Levanon continued by citing a few examples of senior officials who acted against Eretz Yisrael and have already paid a price, including suspended Jerusalem Police Chief Niso Shacham [who is facing an investigation amid charges of assaulting women], former President Moshe Katsav [who is serving a prison term following his conviction for assaulting women] and former IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz [who was compelled to step down in disgrace following his failures in the 2nd Lebanon War].

The rav questions why the expulsion is still on the attorney general’s agenda after many of the homeowners purchased the land from the Arabs who were viewed as the rightful owners by the court, warning of the consequences of evicting yet another Jewish community from its homes.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)