Q&A: Sde Teiman
Sde Teiman
Question
Come on, Rabbi Michael, say something about Sde Teiman. The Jewish people are waiting for guidance.
Answer
I have no information on the matter. From what I heard, several soldiers were arrested on suspicion of abusing Hamas prisoners. That certainly must be investigated, and they should be punished. Not because I feel sorry for the Hamas men. As far as I’m concerned, they could shoot them all in the head. This is a serious disciplinary offense, and decisions like that need to be made by the proper authorities (especially when there are international and other considerations that could seriously harm us). Beyond that, abuse is certainly not justified. If this really happened, then we are dealing with degraded and disgusting human beings who deserve punishment. If they had killed the terrorists, I wouldn’t say that, because there is some logic to that (it would still be a disciplinary offense. See my column on Elor Azaria). And certainly the human savages who break into IDF bases in protest against the enforcement of the rule of law also deserve punishment. But about those hooligans I have nothing to say. Unfortunately, they are part of our government today. Shameful.
Discussion on Answer
Why is abuse certainly unjustified? Is there no place for revenge against those terrorists who were partners in the horrific acts (and maybe that would also create a certain deterrent, when they know terrorists suffer)?
That kind of revenge is just brutality, and its purpose is not deterrence but venting anger. They also don’t know who took part in what.
Who told you that? Revenge can be served cold, and it’s possible to abuse not out of impulse but out of a desire to break the terrorists’ spirit, so that if they are released they’ll be broken wrecks.
Test.
Just a second—isn’t the Rabbi the one who said that the Attorney General is right that there is no effective protest without disturbing public order? Who decides the laws and rules of anarchy? The left decides? According to what are the rules determined—these ones are allowed to be broken and those ones aren’t?
Is it allowed to block roads but forbidden to break into IDF bases to rescue soldiers from enemies? And if blocking roads has been permitted, then in any case no protest will be effective unless the new rules are also broken.
This is outright hypocrisy.
What do you think, Rabbi, causes Religious Zionism to put front and center criminals and clowns like Ben Gvir, Smotrich, Sukkot, and all kinds of other controversial figures like Avi Maoz and Struck? Where are the days when a normal person like Bennett was there?