Dozens of rabbis in Israel confirmed in a letter to Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Israeli defense officials that Jewish law does not prohibit the bombing of hospitals if “enemies” are using them in their military efforts or using civilians there as “human shields.”
Dozens of Israeli rabbis signed a letter addressed to Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Israeli defense officials, in which they affirmed that Jewish law does not prohibit the bombing of hospitals if “enemies” are using them in their military efforts or are using civilians there as “human shields,” stipulating that warnings be sent before the bombing, according to To Hebrew media.
The message, which was broadcast by Israeli Channel 14 , stated : “We sincerely call on the hands of the soldiers and commanders to fight the Lord’s battle with courage and wisdom and win.”
The rabbis wrote: “From brokenness and terrible pain, we will rise stronger with the Lord’s help. The people of Israel will rise with courage to strike down their enemies.”
Although the letter indicated the need to send advance warnings to the population, the rabbis held responsibility for the killing of civilians on those they described as “murderers hiding behind them,” according to the same source.
Right-wing Israeli journalist Amit Segal shared a copy of the message on his official Telegram account, last October 30, days after Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari claimed in a press conference that Hamas had “turned hospitals into command centers and hideouts for its terrorists and leaders.”
Long history of incitement
The list of signatories to the letter included a number of rabbis known for their extremist views, hostility to the Palestinians, and incitement against them. One of the most prominent of these is Dov Lior, the right-wing rabbi and spiritual leader of what is known as the “religious Zionism” movement. He is also known as the spiritual leader of Itamar Ben Gvir, the Israeli Minister of Internal Security and one of Israel’s most extremist politicians. .
Lior has always supported the continued construction of illegal settlements on Palestinian lands, based on his failure to recognize the Palestinians’ right to own land.
During the Israeli aggression on Gaza in 2014, Lior issued a “religious ruling” allowing the destruction of the entire Strip, exempting Israeli soldiers from the need to distinguish between combatants and civilians, and declaring that “it is okay to kill innocent civilians and destroy Gaza.”
Rabbi Zvi Yisrael Tao, 86, was also a signatory. Last year, the man sparked controversy after several women alleged he had sexually assaulted them, according to the Times of Israel .
The list of signatories also included Rabbis Yitzhak Ginsburg (born in the United States) and Meir Mazuz (born in Tunisia), both of whom have a long history of anti-Arabs, incitement against them, and adopting extremist ideas.
A categorical denial and warning
A few days ago, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza warned of the “premeditated intention” of the Israeli army towards Al-Quds Hospital in the Gaza Strip, after repeated “threats” of the need to evacuate it.
Gaza Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra said in a statement on Sunday: “We warn of the Israeli occupation’s deliberate intention to target Al-Quds Hospital after its continued focus on targeting its surroundings and causing multiple damage to it.”
Israel claims that the Palestinian Hamas movement operates in tunnels under hospitals and other civilian buildings, and that "in order to defeat Hamas, we must dismantle its underground tunnels."
Has Hamas ended the career of Israel's longest-serving prime minister?
It seems that the Hamas attack on October 7th destroyed the image of the longest-serving Israeli prime minister, after he had consolidated it for decades as a hawk related to security issues.
The image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained firmly established as one of the hawks related to security issues, due to his service in a special unit of elite forces that carried out a number of Israel's boldest hostage-rescue operations.
But it appears that the legacy of Israel's longest-serving prime minister will now be reshaped after one of the worst security failures Israel has ever seen.
It will also be shaped by the fate of more than 200 hostages held by Hamas during an attack that killed more than 1,500 people, according to Hebrew media, in the country's bloodiest day since the establishment of the State of Israel 75 years ago.
An Israeli minister told the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be able to remain in office after the war with Hamas.
In his sixth term as prime minister, Netanyahu (74 years old) heads a right-wing coalition of the most extreme governments in Israel, and is under increasing pressure after the initial shock turned into an outburst of anger over the failures that allowed the attack to occur.
Netanyahu refuses to take responsibility and says that everyone will have to answer difficult questions when the war with Hamas ends, and in one of his rare press conferences he ignored a question about whether he would resign.
Opinion polls showed that a large majority holds him responsible, a trend confirmed by photos of his government ministers being harassed in public as they get out of their official cars.
An opinion poll conducted by Maariv newspaper on October 18 and 19 revealed that former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, the head of an opposition party, has the support of 48% of participants to be prime minister, compared to only 28% in favor of Netanyahu.
The Israel Hayom newspaper said in an article this week: “Netanyahu, along with senior officials in the army, intelligence, and public security services, will leave because they have failed.”
“Hamas is planning to destroy Israel and liberate Palestine.” A secret document expected Hamas to launch an attack on the settlements surrounding Gaza and move the battle into Israel. Netanyahu received it with sarcasm from his Defense Minister 7 years ago. What are the details of the document?
The popularity of Netanyahu, who faces trial on corruption charges he denies, has been damaged by the fierce battle over plans to limit the powers of the Supreme Court, plans that have brought hundreds of thousands of Israelis onto the streets for months.
It is expected that the political repercussions will be temporarily postponed in light of the continued Israeli air strikes on Gaza and the incursion of Israeli tanks into the besieged Strip.
But much will depend on the outcome of the operation, whose stated goal is to destroy Hamas forever, and on whether his party will continue to support it despite growing calls for change.
Criticism from his allies
In this context, Danny Danon, a member of parliament from Netanyahu’s Likud Party and a former Israeli delegate to the United Nations, said: “I am not worried about the opinion polls, but what worries me is achieving results, and I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu and the government must achieve the desired results.”
Benjamin #Netanyahu is in trouble, and leaders in the #Israeli army and politicians are severely attacking him because of his evasion of responsibility for the attack launched by the #Palestinian resistance at the beginning of this month, which prompted him to apologize for his statements, so what is happening?
He added: "We witnessed too many rounds in the past, when pressure forced the government not to complete the mission and to leave Hamas in power."
He continued: "If the government does not implement what it promised, which is to eliminate Hamas, I am confident that this will not be acceptable, neither to the public nor to the political system."
Military testing is not the only challenge
Netanyahu, who has exhausted all the goodwill of even allies like the United States during his battle over judicial amendments, is viewed with deep suspicion by most countries of the world due to his alliance with extreme religious and nationalist parties.
In addition to pressure due to issues such as the relentless expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, international alarm is rising over the number of casualties during the bombing of Gaza.
The economy, already battered by uncertainty caused by judicial amendments strongly opposed by most of the business community, has suffered an additional blow, with companies in sectors as diverse as construction and food services saying their revenues are witnessing a sharp decline.
After widespread criticism against him, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deletes a tweet he previously published in which he held the intelligence services responsible for the failure of the October 7 attack.
Netanyahu, who usually appeared confident and reassured, seemed increasingly abnormal during the recent period, especially when he wrote a tweet late one night this week in which he held the leaders of the intelligence services responsible for the failure to warn him of the attack on October 7.
The tweet was deleted the next morning and Netanyahu issued an apology, but the damage had already been done and sparked criticism from the press and across the political spectrum.
A writer in Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said of him, “He is not fit for the position of prime minister,” adding that Netanyahu should have resigned or been removed immediately after the October 7 attack.
165,000 Afghans have gone home since the deadline: Pakistani officials
The Provincial Interior Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told AFP that more than 129,000 people have returned to Afghanistan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while more than 38,000 have returned to Afghanistan from Chaman, a border region of Balochistan.
Pakistani authorities have said on Thursday that 165,000 Afghans have returned to their homeland since Pakistan warned foreigners living illegally in the country to leave .
Abdul Nasir Khan, deputy commissioner in Landi Kotal, told AFP: "Due to the deadline given to illegal residents, a large number of people have reached the Torkham border. People can still return voluntarily . " But today only 1,000 people are present on the border.
The Provincial Interior Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told AFP that more than 129,000 people have returned to Afghanistan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while more than 38,000 have returned to Afghanistan from Chaman, a border region of Balochistan.
According to AFP, the police in Karachi detained more than 100 people in an operation on Thursday, while the police in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, near the Chaman border crossing, detained 425 Afghan citizens.
Deputy Commissioner Saad bin Asad told AFP: 'The campaign against illegal immigrants will continue.'
Pakistan had given a deadline to all foreign nationals living in the country illegally without documents to voluntarily leave the country, at the end of which operations are now underway across the country and arrest and later arrest such persons. Deportation has already begun, but the voluntary return of illegal aliens will continue and be encouraged.
The government has set up 49 holding centers across the country, where undocumented foreign nationals will be held and then sent back to their home countries.
The Ministry of Interior said in a statement yesterday: 'From November 1, the process of arrest and subsequent deportation of illegal aliens has begun. However, the voluntary return of illegal aliens will also continue and be encouraged.
An estimated 600,000 more Afghans entered Pakistan after the Taliban government returned to power in August 2021, while around 1.7 million Afghans are living illegally in Pakistan.
Pakistan has said that the deportation of illegally staying foreigners is necessary for the country's security after an increase in terrorist attacks in the country.
On the other hand, the United States has demanded Pakistan not to forcefully deport the Afghan refugees.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said: 'We strongly encourage Afghanistan's neighboring countries, including Pakistan, to allow entry to Afghan nationals seeking international protection and to allow international humanitarian organizations to provide humanitarian assistance. Connect with.'
In response to this, caretaker foreign minister Jalil Abbas Jilani has said that a lenient attitude will be kept with the deprived sections, especially the minorities, in the evacuation of illegally staying foreigners from Pakistan.
Speaking to Independent-Urdu in Parliament on Wednesday, the Federal Foreign Minister explained that relaxation would be taken regarding the 'vulnerable communities' of Afghan refugees residing illegally in Pakistan.
"We will also be lenient towards vulnerable communities, including minorities or any such people, who have any concerns that they will face problems by going there." '
He further explained that there are many types of Afghan refugees living in Pakistan and that is why there is a misunderstanding about them.
The Federal Foreign Minister said that Afghan refugees who have registration cards or legal documents are not being deported from Pakistan.
"Those who have no documents at all have been told to leave with dignity and respect."
He added that Afghans who have Pakistani documents will be allowed to stay.
Emergency situation
Meanwhile, Samiullah, who works in immigration registration at the Torkham border, told AFP that the border crossing is facing an "emergency situation" after the government's decision.
Benfisha, a 35-year-old pregnant woman, along with her six children and other family members, was waiting for the travel operation to Khum before going to her native province of Kunduz.
He said with wet eyes that 'in Kunduz we have no land, no house to live in and no employment. We have nothing there.'
Irfanullah, 32, who returned to Afghanistan, told AFP: 'My heart really doesn't want to go back to Afghanistan but I have no other choice.'
Taliban insist on giving Afghans time
The Taliban government has urged Pakistan to give undocumented Afghans in the country more time to leave as pressure on border crossings mounts.
Lawyers and human rights groups have also accused the Pakistani government of using threats, abuse and detention to force Afghan refugees to leave the country, with reports of arrests and extortion emerging. .
Muneza Kakar, a Karachi-based human rights lawyer, said: 'The constitution of Pakistan gives everyone on this land the right to a fair trial, but these refugees have been denied that right.'
Thousands of families voluntarily arrived at a holding center on Wednesday in Landi Kotal, near the Torkham border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the majority of Afghan migrants live.
Police vehicles were seen arriving at such holding centers with Afghans detained in other cities.
Authorities have also targeted homes and businesses they consider illegal. At the same time, local Pakistanis are also being warned of legal action against renting houses to illegal Afghans.
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