Senior Religious Zionist rabbis oppose government without Jewish majority support

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Their statement specifically rejected a government reliant on the votes of Knesset members who are not Jewish.***
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By Vered Weiss, World Israel News*

Seventeen senior Religious Zionist rabbis said a government without the support of a Jewish majority in the Knesset would not be recognized by the Jewish people, arguing after the Knesset elections that Israel’s Jewish character requires such a majority, particularly on security and diplomatic matters.

The rabbis, affiliated with the Torat Ha’aretz Hatova organization, set out their position in a public statement issued following the elections.

“The State of Israel, as its name indicates, is the one and only state of the people of Israel. This is also written in the Declaration of Independence,” they wrote.

Their statement specifically rejected a government reliant on the votes of Knesset members who are not Jewish.

“It is inconceivable that the government of Israel would not be supported by a clear Jewish majority in the Knesset, particularly when we must contend with grave security and diplomatic issues that are matters of life and death for us.”

Addressing the legitimacy of a government that did not meet that condition, the rabbis added: “The people of Israel will not recognize a government that does not have the backing of a solid Jewish majority in the Knesset.”

Among the 17 signatories were Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed, Rabbi Isser Klonsky, Rabbi David Hai Hacohen, Rabbi Yaakov Filber, Rabbi Yaakov Shapira, Rabbi Elyakim Levanon and Rabbi Eitan Eisman.

Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Rabbi Eliezer Igra, Rabbi Moshe Ganz, Rabbi Michael Hershkowitz, Rabbi Uri Cohen, Rabbi Yehoshua Magnes, Rabbi Mordechai Nagari, Rabbi David Turgeman and Rabbi Yosef Artziel also signed the statement.

The rabbis closed their declaration with a call for strength on behalf of the Jewish people and Israel’s cities.

“Be strong, and let us strengthen ourselves for our people and for the cities of our God!” they wrote.

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