The Jerusalem Post, May 30, 2007
Israeli Chief Rabbi Advocates Carpet Bombing Gaza
“If they don’t stop after we kill 100, then we must kill a thousand,” said Shmuel Eliyahu. “And if they do not stop after 1,000 then we must kill 10,000. If they still don’t stop we must kill 100,000, even a million. Whatever it takes to make them stop.”
By Matthew Wagner
All civilians living in Gaza are collectively guilty for Kassam attacks on Sderot, former Sephardi chief rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu has written in a letter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Eliyahu ruled that there was absolutely no moral prohibition against the indiscriminate killing of civilians during a potential massive military offensive on Gaza aimed at stopping the rocket launchings.
The letter, published in Olam Katan [Small World], a weekly pamphlet to be distributed in synagogues nationwide this Friday, cited the biblical story of the Shechem massacre (Genesis 34) and Maimonides’ commentary (Laws of Kings 9, 14) on the story as proof texts for his legal decision.
According to Jewish war ethics, wrote Eliyahu, an entire city holds collective responsibility for the immoral behavior of individuals. In Gaza, the entire populace is responsible because they do nothing to stop the firing of Kassam rockets.
The former chief rabbi also said it was forbidden to risk the lives of Jews in Sderot or the lives of IDF soldiers for fear of injuring or killing Palestinian noncombatants living in Gaza.
Eliyahu could not be reached for an interview. However, Eliyahu’s son, Shmuel Eliyahu, who is chief rabbi of Safed, said his father opposed a ground troop incursion into Gaza that would endanger IDF soldiers. Rather, he advocated carpet bombing the general area from which the Kassams were launched, regardless of the price in Palestinian life.
“If they don’t stop after we kill 100, then we must kill a thousand,” said Shmuel Eliyahu. “And if they do not stop after 1,000 then we must kill 10,000. If they still don’t stop we must kill 100,000, even a million. Whatever it takes to make them stop.”
In the letter, Eliyahu quoted from Psalms. “I will pursue my enemies and apprehend them and I will not desist until I have eradicated them.”
Eliyahu wrote that “This is a message to all leaders of the Jewish people not to be compassionate with those who shoot [rockets] at civilians in their houses.”
Peace and Justice Post 
June 4, 2007 at 5:04 pm |
Hi Sudhan
Thank you for the comments on SuzieQ
This is an important post. How appaling that a so called religioius judge would be saying these things to the people of Israel. This from the western view is a blatant dischord when considering church and state.
And this dude is a descendent of a Rabbi Salman Eliyahu, a well-known Jerusalem Kabbalist from an Iraqi Jewish family? From what I understand about the Kabbal it is a place of wisdom and learning. I know very little about this subject, but the powers of this Rabbi and his use of them is a pretty scary thing.
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June 4, 2007 at 6:11 pm |
Hi wordgeezer!
Nice to see your comment. I agree with what you say. I find your views and comments on your blog informative, sincere and realistic.
This pronouncement of the high priest of a major religion speaks for itself. To a Western mind it might sound deeply offensive, but the people of Palestine have been the victims of such nefarious and fascist attitudes since the establishment of the Zionist entity. The Church and the State combined to form a theocracy in our age is an anomaly. Luckily, there are many religious Jews who oppose Zionist ideology and politics. American Christian Right and Zionists have a very powerful influence on what ultraconservative rulers in Washington do or don’t do. See what is happening in Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon!
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June 4, 2007 at 10:49 pm |
Hi Sudan:
Yes, thank you for your comments on my blog! 🙂
I thought I had your blog on my blogroll but it wasn’t. It is now on there. 🙂
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