Chacham Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlita is quoted in the media on Thursday morning expressing the importance of maintaining a good relationship with the White House, announcing even at the expense of construction in Yerushalayim. The remarks were reportedly made a number of weeks ago, during a meeting between the Rav and President Shimon Peres.
During the president’s chol hamoed Pesach visit with the Rav, the president explained the situation regarding the strained relationship between Jerusalem and the White House as a result of the policies of the current administration.
Persons who were present told reporters the Rav was most concerned over the alarming report, stating the relationship between Israel and the United States must be rehabilitated, even at the expense of building in Yerushalayim.
Mr. Peres told the Rav of his compromise, that all construction will be halted in the so-called Arab areas of the capital, the Rav accepted this solution. Peres added that while the prime minister accepts this as well, he is unwilling to make a public announcement.
Asked to verify the headline Maariv report, Shas leader R’ Eli Yishai stated “no such statements were made”. When ask to respond to the response, officials in the President’s Residence opted not to comment.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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13 Responses
I for one will not believe this report unless Rav Ovadia shlit”a says it out clearly and explicitly.
I would not believe one word Peres (the traif bird) says.
Baruch Hashem for the clarity of Chacham Ovadya. Chareidim are not Zionists. We must do all we can in order not to cause friction with the nations of the world. Perhaps now we can also stop building in other areas over the green line like Kiryat Sefer, Brachfeld, and Beitar Illit.
If Hacham Ovadia did NOT SAY THIS, then this report is worthless. Since when Yechiel believes more the media then ELI YISHAI?
#2 Israel’s existence ANYWHERE, including INSIDE the “green line” causes “friction with world”. Jews living AT ALL causes “friction with the world”.
Since you are aware of the towns you mentioned, you have probably been in the “Zionist entity” which means YOU are causing “friction with the world”!
If you are serious in your comment, you need help!
This should not be a surprise to anyone. Shas and Ovadia Yosef supported almost every land for peace deals including Oslo accord, Wye River Memorandum, 2000 Camp David Summit, Geneva Accord, and the Sharon/Olmert Aza disengagement plan.
To #5 juke9000 – I believe Rav Ovadia said that he supported those agreements only theoretically, that is, IF our enemies were ready for a REAL peace. BUT, since in fact, REAL peace was NOT what they were interested in, he did NOT in fact support those bogus agreements.
To #6 (and #2) Chacham Ovadya did not just support the peace deals theoretically. He instructed Shas to vote for Oslo 1 and Oslo 2. The peace deals of the Rabin years only passed with the votes of Shas. (Shas was a member of the coalition together with Labor and Meretz.) The fact is our Gedolim are not right wing Zionists. Chacham Ovadia supported Oslo, and Rav Shach was strongly against settelments. Rav Shach understood that there is a difference between the two sides of the Greenline. He did not believe that “anywhere a Jew lives causes friction” In fact there is broad consensus amongst the nations of the world that Israel has a right to exsist secure and as a Jewish State within the 1967 greenline boudaries. The point is follow Da’as Torah. Follow Rav Shach and understand that Chareidim should NOT be building settelments!
Ki orish goyim mi’ponecho ve’hirchavti es gevulecho,v’lo yachmod ish es artzecho. This land is our land. No daas Torah can contradict Hashem’s holy Torah words. Nobody can tell us, and “us” includes the secular zionists, where or when to build. And the chareidim for whom most of the settlements are being built are very happy with this. Because it means paying a fraction of the cost of an apartment in Bnei Braq or Ashdod. Rav Schach said not to build because the chareidim settlements were mostly chasidim or settlers; types that weren’t on his list for preferential treatment.
I think part of the confusion here is that we are assuming a number of things which may not be the case:
1. Do we know for certain how Peres presented the facts?
2. Do we know the actual words of Rav Ovadia’s response?
3. Does the common man know for certain what the Gedolim even held re: proposed agreements in years gone by???
All we’re left with, Im afraid, is a lot of speculation and uncertainty re: our Torah Leaders’ true positions.
A mensch from Australia
to “whatsgoingon” (7); you are like the ostrich that buries his head in the sand rather than looking at the real danger. “there is BROAD consensus amongst the nations of the world that israel has a right to exist secure within the 1967 boundaries”. Have you been living in Mars? We have implacable enemies (iran, syria, all rab states) and you maintain that it is recognized for us to live in israel?? even if they would sign a piece of paper I would not trust them one bit….you are naive and dangerous.
BH
Okay everyone, stop the arguing. You’re not helping anyone w/ your bolts & jolts toward one another. A Breslov saying (paraphrased) is: Good Morning, this is HaShem. I will be taking care of all your problems today. I will not need your help. So relax and have a wonderful day.
So, if all of us would just take this to heart and trust in HaShem – truly trust in Him – not only lip service or rationalizations – then He will take care of all of this for us. Including bringing Moshiach Now.
To #4 and #10. It seems that some of those with right wing tendancies must resort to name calling. #4 says “you need help” and #10 says “you are dangerous”. So lets just look at the clear facts. We know what our Gedolim have held in the past (as opposed to #9)Chacham Ovadia supported Oslo and Rav Shach opposed settelments. The logic is simple we cannot ignore world opnion. Israel needs allies. America votes with Israel at the UN and helps protect it at the security council. Most countries support Israel’s right to exsist but also recognize that there are millions of Arabs inside its borders. It does not help Israel’s position to build in areas that inflame tensions with the rest of the world. It actualy harms Israel diplomaticaly and econonmicaly. There are Chareidi communities in the Negev, Galil and other areas such as Beit Shemesh that do not provoke outcry or condemnation when being built. Just because the Torah promises the land to us does not mean that it is wise, or right to build wherever one wants while in Galus (This is actualy quite clear from the Gemara in Kasubos.) Therefore it should be clear that we should NOT in the settelments!
Why is it Charadim don’t fear “provoking Jews” who are not Charadim?
#12 You are right Rav Shach was against building settlements because he didn’t want to “provoke the world”.
Why is it Charadim don’t fear “provoking Jews” who are not Charadim?
Just because he didn’t agree with building the settlements doesn’t mean he would have agree with dismantling them, disengaging from Aza and a building freeze to an existing Yishuv.
We DL believe that the Geula has already started and Hashem after 2000 years gave us a gift in 1948 and again in 1967.
We should give thanks to Hashem and have emmunah in Hashem and prepare for Moshiach by building and living in all parts of Eretz Yisroel.