Har Bracha Hesder Yeshiva Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Eliezer Melamed will be meeting on Thursday with Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai to discuss statements attributed to him, that he encourages hesder soldiers to disobey orders that negate their Torah philosophy.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak told the media he is not planning to hold a street trial, but is hoping a meeting with the deputy minister in a “good atmosphere” will lead to an understanding.

Preliminary reports indicated the rabbi would not meet with Vilnai, but it is now being reported that Rabbi Melamed stated he does plan to meet, but has set one condition, that the meeting not be held in the Kirya Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv. The rabbi is quoted as adding he hopes the meeting is conducted in a respectful fashion.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)