Israeli opposition slams Netanyahu over silence after ultra-Orthodox leaders brand army ‘teacher of gravest sins’

Israeli opposition leaders on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of “complete silence” following inflammatory remarks made during an ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) protest, including claims that “the army teaches the gravest sins” and that “Israel is impure,” Anadolu reports.

The criticism comes amid escalating tensions over the conscription of Haredi Jews into the Israeli military, which is facing manpower shortages while fighting on multiple fronts for more than 1,000 days.

Hundreds of Haredi protesters gathered Monday night in Bnei Brak to demonstrate against the detention of ultra-Orthodox men who refused compulsory military service.

During the rally, Rabbi Aryeh Yezdi criticized Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and urged religious seminary students not to comply with military draft orders.

According to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, Yezdi told demonstrators: “The army teaches people to commit the gravest sins in this impure state. This entire army exists to desecrate the name of God.”

He also directed insults at Zamir, saying: “May the name of the accursed chief of staff be erased from memory… Do not fall into this trap. Do not join the army.”

Former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef said the gathering was organized “to protest against the judges and all the oppressive authorities.”

“When a yeshiva student is imprisoned in such a disgraceful manner, it is an insult to the honor of the Torah. That is why we have gathered,” he told the crowd.

Rabbi Shabtai Levy argued that “the reason we have not defeated Hamas and Hezbollah is because the Torah is not being respected.”

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