Rabbi faces calls for incitement probe over ruling against those who work with Arab parties

Former security chiefs and left-wing politicians demanded an investigation into a Haifa Chabad rabbi for incitement after he issued a religious decree, a din rodef, against any political party head who facilitates a government backed by Arab-majority parties. The decree, which has no standing in Israeli law, was cited by Yigal Amir in the 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Chabad distanced itself from the rabbi's opinion.

Several former security chiefs, a racism watchdog, and left-wing politicians on Thursday demanded authorities investigate Haifa Chabad Rabbi Gedalia Axelrod for incitement after he issued a religious decree against any political party head who facilitates a government backed by Arab-majority parties. Rabbi Axelrod, a former head of the Haifa Rabbinical Court, penned an open letter saying those who support such a government "put the people of Israel in terrible danger," issuing a din rodef — a religious decree applied to grave offenders, giving halachic approval to stop them by any means, even if this requires killing them. The term became infamous after Yigal Amir, the assassin of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, cited it as a religious justification for the murder in November 1995. The term has no standing in Israeli law. In response, 20 former top security officials, including ex-heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad, urged an investigation "before our fears are realized and we are, God forbid, witness to the next political murder in Israel." The Center for Victims of Racism and MK Michal Rozin also submitted complaints. Chabad in Israel distanced itself, stating Rabbi Axelrod's opinion is personal and does not reflect the organization's position.