Rabbi invokes Jewish law permitting killing of politicians cooperating with Arab parties - report

In his letter, Axelrod reportedly argued that Jewish politicians who cooperate with the Arab parties posed a "terrible danger to the people of Israel."

Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement in Israel distanced itself from Rabbi Gedalia Axelrod, a former head of the Haifa Rabbinical Court, after he issued a handwritten letter with a halachic ruling invoking a religious doctrine that permits using lethal force against Jewish party leaders who cooperate with Arab parties, Haaretz reported on Thursday.

In his letter, Axelrod reportedly argued that Jewish politicians who cooperate with the Arab parties were subject to the principle of “din rodef,” according to Haaretz. 

The term “rodef” in Hebrew translates to pursuer, and the religious doctrine stems from mitzvot commanding the saving of “a person who is being pursued, by killing the pursuer; Not to have mercy on the pursuer; Not to stand idly by when a colleague’s life is in danger,” according to Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon.

Haaretz reported that the handwritten letter by Axelrod asserted that collaborating with the Arab parties in Israel "poses a terrible danger to the people of Israel in the Holy Land and around the world." Axelrod argued that such collaboration could look like inviting Arab parties to join a governing coalition or relying on their support from outside it.

In response, a group of former heads of Israel's security services and military called on police to investigate Axelrod on suspicion of incitement to murder. In a letter to Maj.-Gen. Boaz Balet, head of the police Investigations and Intelligence Division, they urged authorities to summon the rabbi for questioning, warning that Israel could otherwise "witness another political assassination."

Same doctrine used to justify assassination of former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin

The term “din rodef” was invoked by Yigal Amir to justify the 1995 assassination of then-prime minister Yitzhak Rabin. In the period before the killing, extremist rabbis had argued that Rabin's pursuit of the Oslo Accords endangered Jewish lives.

When asked whether Axelrod's ruling represented Chabad's position, Rabbi Shimi Segal, the movement's spokesman in Israel, told Haaretz that its rabbinical court determined its official religious rulings exclusively.

"Rabbi Axelrod is not a member of this court and does not fill a function in the leadership of Chabad. His words and letters reflect his own personal opinion," Segal said.

Joint List MK Ofer Cassif, the only Jewish member in Ra'am, separately called on State Prosecutor Amit Isman to open a criminal investigation into Axelrod, saying, "We are right now in a very sensitive period of leadership change following the election," he wrote.

"It is clearly incumbent upon the law enforcement authorities to operate with particular vigilance during this period against anyone who threatens, incites or legitimizes killing elected officials for exercising the public mandate given to them."

Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats, had expressed support for including Arab parties in a government, while Gadi Eisenkot, who was tasked with forming the next government, had said he would invite parties that met certain conditions to join his coalition.

The United Arab List, led by Mansour Abbas, previously joined the 2021-2022 government of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid. Both the United Arab List and the Joint List had recommended Eisenkot to form the next government.