The Rabbinical Council of
America suggests harsher preemptive war on Israel's opponents
US rabbis urge change in IDF
war code
MATTHEW WAGNER, THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 21, 2006
The Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) has called on Israel to reevaluate
its military rules of war in light of Hizbullah's "unconscionable use of
civilians, hospitals, ambulances, mosques and the like as human shields,
cannon fodder and weapons of asymmetric warfare."
The RCA made the statement at the end of a three-day solidarity mission
last week in conjunction with Emunah, the modern Orthodox women's
organization, during which a contingent of RCA rabbis toured the North and
South, visiting the injured and gathering impressions of the extent of the
damage caused by the warfare.
Rabbi Basil Herring, executive vice president of the RCA, said the
statement was not a halachic decision but rather "our understanding of
traditional Jewish values."
Herring said that from reports and talks with injured soldiers and
doctors, it appeared the IDF may have unnecessarily endangered its forces
out of moral considerations.
"Like Jews everywhere, we as members of the RCA have always admired the
unparalleled moral standards of Israel's armed forces in their military
engagements, including sensitivity to the suffering of civilians and other
innocents who find themselves caught up in the entanglements of war," said
the RCA statement. "Today, however, there is at the very least a need to
discuss the response to an enemy such as Hizbullah."
According to Herring, the new combat realities of fighting an enemy that
uses its own civilians as human shields dictate a rethinking of IDF
military ethics.
"Our traditional sensibilities tell us that it is not right to risk the
lives of our soldiers to minimize civilian deaths on the other side," he
said.
During their trip, the RCA delegation contributed tens of thousands of
dollars to soup kitchens and hospitals. The rabbis on the delegation said
they planned to go back to the US and raise additional funds for Israelis
hurt by the warfare.
The RCA's delicate criticism of IDF morality was echoed by Rabbi Shmuel
Eliyahu of Safed and Rabbi Tzefania Drori of Kiryat Shmona. But the two
rabbis had none of the inhibitions felt by rabbis from the US who, as
Diaspora Jews, were uncomfortable criticizing Israel's policies.
"Our corrupt military morality, which tells us that our soldiers must
endanger their lives to protect enemy civilians, is the reason we lost the
war," said Eliyahu*.
"Anti-Semites demand that we use Christian morality while our enemies act
like barbarians," said Drori, accusing the IDF of adopting "Christian
morality" as its own.
Three weeks ago, Rabbi Dov Lior announced in the name of the Yesha Council
of Rabbis that "when our enemies hold a baby in one hand and shoot at us
with the other, or when missiles are purposely aimed at civilian
populations in the Land of Israel in blatant disregard for moral criteria,
we are obligated to act according to Jewish morality, which dictates that
'he who gets up to kill you, get up yourself and kill him first.'"
"There are no innocent parties in a time of war," he continued. "Rather,
one must battle a bellicose city until it is captured. All types of
Christian morality weaken the spirit of our army and our nation and cost
us the lives of our soldiers and citizens."
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