Rabbis Acquitted of Telling Soldiers to Disobey

After a three-year legal battle, an Israeli judge acquitted two rabbis, Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo and Rabbi Shabtai Weintraub, who were indicted for encouraging soldiers to disobey orders to evacuate settlements in 2009 and 2011. ‘Freedom of speech has a special constitutional status,’ the judge said in his ruling.

From Ynet:

Two rabbis were acquitted Sunday from charges of inciting IDF soldiers to disobey orders after a judge ruled that “the test of democracy is the application of freedom of expression also when the expression irkes or even offends.”

Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo, 68, from Beitar Illit, was accused of encouraging soldiers to disobey orders to evacuate settlements in two different instances in 2009 and 2011.

Wolpo and Rabbi Shabtai Weintraub were indicted in 2009 for handing out “Heroes of Israel” awards to IDF soldiers who were waving placards bearing the words “Shimshon Battalion won’t evacuate Homesh” during an IDF swearing-in ceremony at the Western Wall.

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4 Comments

    • Well

      The soldiers that listened to them really did go to jail…
      I’m happy these rabbis aren’t going to prison, but keep in mind that they were telling soldiers to go…

  • FOS (Freedom Of Speech)

    I thought Isreal was a democratic country, which means freedom of speech to say whatever u want as long as your not gona overthrow the Gov, Isreal is known to be the most democratic free speech country in the whole Mid East, in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Jordan, u don’t have freedom of speech, for making a comment to the military about not moving from a certain city or area in protest of the Gov what kinda crime is that & to make a whole trial about it ? This is democracy ? Isreal is way behind the US, I’m sorry this is Ridiculous, Moronic, Absurd, Idiotic, Insane, Off The Wall, Dumb !! Get A Life !!!