ON November 4, 1995 Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was killed in Tel Aviv by a fellow Jew, Yigal Amir. The tragic assassination exemplifies the political and religious differences that exist in the Holy Land.
Two schools
Within the Jewish population exists several political camps and two fundamental religious dispositions. The diverse political organizations include the Likud and Labor parties as well as several Orthodox political parties. The religious scene, however, can be categorized into two distinct camps. The religious right and the religious left. Mr. Rabin belonged to the religious left which is dedicated to obtaining peace in the Middle East through land resettlement. To the religious right belong individuals like Mr. Amir who are endeavoring to stop this process justifying their position through the promises made to Abraham. Many orthodox right-wing organizations desire to see the Jewish people maintain and expand their homeland at any costs.
Although the religious right-wing organizations have existed since the inception of Israel, they are now becoming a major security concern. An article in The New York Times (May, 1995) indicated that 45% of all children in Jerusalem are being schooled by right-wing orthodox Jewish organizations.
The fundamentalists use scripture to justify their actions. In 1994, Dr. Baruch Goldstein stormed into a Muslim mosque and machine-gunned to death 29 people before being killed by Israeli forces. Today, Dr. Goldstein is haled as a hero in parts of Israel. In the city of Kiryt Arba, the residents have erected a granite monument to Dr. Goldstein. The inscription reads, “Here lies the Holy Dr. Baruch Kappel Goldstein, son of Israel. He gave his life for the people of Israel, its Torah, and its land. Of clean hands and strong heart, he was murdered in the sanctity of God’s name.”
Continuing to grow during the past year, the rift between left and right culminated with the killing of Mr. Rabin. The fanaticism of the right is documented in a November 11, article in the Toronto Star:
- A political conflict between religious nationalists on the right who believe the occupied West Bank is their biblical birthright versus secular leftists who want to trade it for peace with Palestinians.
- A religious battle led by Ultra-Orthodox Jews who regularly throw stones at passing motorists who drive on the sabbath, and who douse women with ink if they are deemed immodestly dressed.
- An ethnic rivalry between Sephardic Jews who immigrated from Arab countries and feel alienated from the dominant Ashkenazi Jews of European descent.
Justifying the means
Not surprisingly, most of the right-wing religious organizations utilize scripture to justify their actions. At a court hearing after the shooting of Mr. Rabin, the confessed assassin, Mr. Amir said: “According to Jewish law, the minute a Jew gives over his land to the enemy, he must be killed. My whole life has been studying the Talmud and I have all the data.”
An article in the November 12, 1995 New York Times clarified the liberal use of scripture used by Mr. Amir: Under Jewish law, if a pursuer is chasing a Jew with the intent to kill him, one is required to kill the pursuer to save the life of the intended victim. This is one of the few exceptions to the general rule against killing…The Talmudic reasoning appeared to be that Mr. Rabin’s policies had put Jews in such danger that he, in effect, had become a pursuer himself.
Mr. Amir’s motives, Police Minister Shahal said, drew on oral interpretations of religious law made by rabbis who decreed that the pursuer decree had effect on Rabin. Under the oral law as well, any Jew who surrenders other Jews to the Gentiles is guilty of a crime and should be killed.
At the time of the end
The Jews are acting in a manner characteristic of the nations in the latter days of whom it is declared, “I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother” (Hag. 2:22). Internal strife is sure to be tested further as Israel begins negotiating control of Jerusalem.
As the end approaches, many of the children of Israel ignore sound doctrine and interpret scripture to their own benefit. Once again we see scripture fulfilled, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (I Tim. 4:3-4).
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One