Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Israel’s Prison 10 on Monday evening to protest the arrest of Chareidi Givati soldiers who refused to enter a Namer armored personnel carrier with a female paramedic, with senior reserve officers, rabbonim, roshei yeshiva, public figures and relatives of the soldiers joining the demonstration.
MK Avi Maoz, chairman of the Noam L’Yisrael party, addressed the crowd and called for the soldiers to be honored for standing by their religious convictions rather than punished.
“You should receive a medal, not a punishment. You should be an example for every soldier in the IDF. You are the pillar of fire at the forefront of the struggle for Jewish identity and the spirit of the IDF,” Maoz said.
Maoz also praised the soldiers for leaving the bais medrash to serve in the military and for their performance during combat operations.
“Fortunate are you, Givati soldiers, who left the study hall for a mitzvah war. Fortunate are you that you were selected as an outstanding platoon, that you fought against our enemies in Lebanon and Gaza, and that you do not bend the Torah and your values in the face of all the pressure, threats and punishments.”
During his remarks, Maoz cited the posuk, “For Hashem, your G-d, walks in the midst of your camp to save you, and your camp shall be holy,” before declaring, “This is the supreme value that should guide the army of the Jewish state.”
Several other speakers addressed the demonstration, including Rav Rafael Jahami, head of the Shaarei Hadaas teshuvah movement; Rav Dror Aryeh, one of the rabbonim of the Sderot Hesder Yeshiva; Rav Aviad Gadot, chairman of the Torat Lechima organization; Noam L’Yisrael candidate Yiska Chaimov; and Efrat Lupo of the Women for the Sanctity of the Camp organization.
{Matzav.com}
