MK Yigal Guetta during a question session in Knesset to Deputy Defense Minister Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan accused the IDF of discriminating against rabbonim.

Guetta explained “The problem is not really the beard but the new concept adopted by the IDF, discriminating against the rabbonim. You too should be alerted by this for there is something connected to the decision to move the IDF Consciousness Unit from the IDF Rabbinate”.

Guetta continued with is attack against the IDF, accusing the military of “trampling the kovod of the IDF Rabbinate and by doing so, it shoots itself in the foot”. Guetta told the deputy minister that the IDF’s actions are resulting in a breakdown in the trust it has earned from the religious community, “most certainly the chareidim, and undoubtedly there are consequences”.

Guetta questioned what is being done to restore the IDF Rabbinate and its rabbonim to their former standing as it was during the tenure of IDF Chief Rabbi Major-General Gad Navon z”l. He calls for reversing the decision to move the Jewish Consciousness Unit and to once again permit the rabbonim decide matters that fall under their jurisdiction.

Ben-Dahan denied any connection between the moving of the Jewish Consciousness Union and the changing of policy regarding beards.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)