A suit for damages in the amount of NIS 4 million was filed Wednesday against Finance Committee chairman MK Moshe Gafni (UTJ) by two families who were expelled from their homes in Gush Katif as a part of the 2005 disengagement plan.
The suit was filed yesterday in a beit din — rabbinic court — in Jerusalem. Plaintiffs allege that Gafni’s decision join Ariel Sharon’s government made the disengagement possible and that he therefore bears responsibility for the results.
The lawsuit asserts “the defendant cooperated with a government that had declared its intention to deport all the residents from their homes and lands in the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria. Deportation caused plaintiffs and their families extensive economic damages and severe emotional distress.”
Plaintiffs further argued Gafni joined the coalition in approving the plan because he had received “bribes” in the form of 290 million shekels from the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for ultra-Orthodox educational institutions in the 2005 budget in exchange for his party’s support for the disengagement.
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9 Responses
Can a politican be sued in Beis Din for acting in a manner which injures a member of the community? Would it make any difference if the politician’s posek endorsed the action?
Whose Beis Din hears the case?
What if a politician votes to accept money to provide buses for Beis Yaakov girls in Boro Park, but the state raises taxes on businesses that hurts a shopkeeper in Monsey?
If the United States cuts emergency food aid and someone starves in some country, can the survivors sue someone who received social security in the US since the money that could have saved their family from starving was used to pay social security?
This is totally insane! Didn’t Gafni represent Yahadut Hatorah, the charedi party? That means that the gidolim that are the da’as torah that stand behind the actions that the charedi chavrai kineset do, backed throwing the poor people of Gush Katif at of their homes?! There must be some mistake!
how can you print that line
Plaintiffs further argued Gafni joined the coalition in approving the plan because he had received “bribes”
he is a talmid chacham – how can you print that
Anyone with even minimal understanding of Choshen Mishpat can see that the claim is spurious.
If he does represent the Torah – then you’re taking the Torah to a secular court because you disagree with it.
If he does not represent the Torah – why should he be sued any more than anyone else in that government?
Lawyers have the same half a brain and won’t let it hold up in court.
Whatever the result – it will just end up being a chillul Hashem.Not worth it!
If as the suit challenges is true and he “sold out” he should pay. The land of Israel belongs to the Jews because G-d said so and is not subject to politics. Once Jews occupy the land it is against G-d and the Torah if you try and give away OUR birth right.
We need true leaders in office with backbone enough to fight off the scandalous non-Torah behavior of others around them
YWN and Arutz Sheva: Please watch your language!
A Chiloni acquaintance of mine — a journalist who has successfully convinced several Gentile U.S. newspapers and media outlets to use nicer language when reporting on Israel and Jews in general — will be ULTRA (i.e., very) disappointed to see you use the derogatory term “ULTRA-Orthodox.”
Due to his diligent efforts, several Gentile journalists now refer to us with the more appropriate words “very Orthodox,” “pious,” or “Charedi.”
The refugees from gush katif are suffering terribly on a daily basis but six years later no one is interested in helping them anymore and they have nowhere left to turn!
Its only right that someone that caused this to happen from the comfort of the Knesset should be forced to confront the real financial, emotional,and psychological damage he caused face to face with the actual victims and their families who will never “get over” this tragedy.
Torah Jews have a responsibility to think before they do irreparable damage to peoples lives!Maybe the thought that they will be held accountable to make restitution to those whose lives they ruined will help.
To akuperma,
I can’t understand how you belittle the alleged crime of Gafni. If it’s true that he took such a bribe, the crime is horrific. He wasn’t some “politician” who took a bribe, the law was in acted only because he voted for it. I don’t begin to understand your comparisons!
At most I would agree that it will be an interesting to see how the dayanim will look at this case, is it a girama or maybe garmi. But that’s for the Dayanim to passkan. We, for our part must not be so callas to read such an article and trash it in such a cynical way. When we read such an article our first reaction should be what the Brisker Rav woulds say “Az si tut vai, Shreit min”-If it hearts, we cry out!