“Whoever did this caused great damage to the world of Torah. They are
not just thugs, but also fools. What benefit do they believe will emerge
from their actions?…I am very puzzled by the fact that the leaders of
the Edah HaHaredit in Jerusalem have not yet condemned the incident. It
is their duty and responsibility to do so.”
Rabbi Gershon Edelstein
Senior Haredi Leader Condemns Haredi Attacks On Haredi Soldiers – Sort Of
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
The senior rosh yeshiva (dean) of Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, has become the first haredi leader of note to condemn violent attacks by haredim against haredi soldiers.
But that condemnation, reported on Matzav dot com, appears to be completely self-serving.
Referring to last week’s attack by a haredi mob numbering between 100 and 150 people against a lone haredi soldier in Mea Shearim, Edelstein reportedly said that the people who did it “caused great damage to the world of Torah.”
“It is incumbent upon the people of the [anti-Zionist haredi umbrella organization based in Mea Seharim] Edah HaHaredit to condemn the attack on the soldier,” Edelstein added.
When a third lone haredi soldier in less than a week was attacked in Jerusalem Sunday, Edelstein reportedly said that, “Whoever did this caused great damage to the world of Torah. They are not just thugs, but also fools. What benefit do they believe will emerge from their actions?…I am very puzzled by the fact that the leaders of the Edah HaHaredit in Jerusalem have not yet condemned the incident. It is their duty and responsibility to do so.”
The only stated reason Edelstein is condemning the attacks is that the repercussions from those attacks are bad for all haredim – not because the attacks in and of themselves are inherently wrong.