HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu Shlita, the chief rabbi of Tzfas and a son of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu Shlita, wrote in the weekly Mayanie HaYeshua Shabbos torah sheet that today, 13 years following the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin, the left-wing has yet to do a true cheshbon nefesh.

The rav states that a share of the cheshbon nefesh is undoubtedly the responsibility of the right-wing, but the left-wing has more than a small share in this process. The Rav made reference to the public immorality of the Rabin administration, which enjoyed widespread support, which he maintains led to the likes of the Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is drowning in police investigations.

Rav Eliyahu condemned political assassination, stating following such a tragic event, a ‘cheshbon nefesh’ is mandatory.

He made reference to Rabin’s infamous “spin like propellers” statement in reference to the opponents of the Oslo Agreement, removing the democratic option of legitimate protest from them, eliminating their democratic right to protest and oppose government policy.

Rav Eliyahu states emphatically that there is absolutely no justification for a political assassination but he rejects attempts to place the responsibility on the shoulders of the right-wing alone. He rejects outright those who seemingly justify the murder, which he stresses is unacceptable, but insists the left-wing has washed its hands of any and all responsibility and now, 13 years later, the left-wing has yet to come to terms with its role in the events that led to the murder of a prime minister.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)