“Sanhedrin Rabbis” Call to Abolish Laws that Contradict Torah

The new “Sanhedrin,” a body founded by rabbis in 2004 that aims to eventually serve as a supreme court and an upper house of the Knesset, has written a letter calling on the religious parties – Shas and UTJ – to put Jewish education, halacha, love of Israel and preserving kedushas hamachaneh and the army at the top of their priorities. The Sanhedrin recommended that the parties demand to get the education, justice and interior portfolios, which they consider most influential, and urged them to create public debate regarding the issue of basic laws. The Sanhedrim is considered controversial and has never been granted legitimacy by the State – or by the greater chareidi community.

The religious and chareidi parties won 23 Knesset seats in this week’s elections.

The Sanhedrin rabbis’ letter is directed to Shas, UTJ, National Union and Habayit Hayehudi, and asked them to be generous and flexible towards one another, “so that they could unite for the sake of their common goals.”

They then go on to stipulate what should be done in the field of Torah-based legislation: “Basic Law: The Torah, which states that any legislation or ruling that goes against the Torah is null and void; making the Chief Rabbinate independent from politics and politicians and turning it into a supreme court for the entire Jewish people; a law of return to the lands – stating that land under Jewish sovereignty within the borders of the Land of Israel is a part of the State of Israel.”

The rabbis also suggested amendments to Basic Law: The Judiciary, revising the authorities of the attorney general, the High Court of Justice and the procedures of appointing judges.

{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel/Ynet}