At a recent special session of the Knesset plenum, Deputy
Minister Michael Eitan, stated that the Police investigation
of the fire in the Jerusalem Gilo synagogue which took place
a number of weeks ago has reached new conclusions: the arson
was criminally motivated. Eitan's remarks were made in
response to Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz's request to discuss the
issue at last Tuesday's meeting.
In fact, only a few days later, Ge'uni Gemayel, of Bet
Lechem, was arrested for the crime. In his possession at the
time of his arrest was equipment believed to have been stolen
from the shul before it was torched. He maintained
that he could not remember what he did at the time of the
crime. Police have not fully determined if the suspected
motive is criminal or terrorist.
"There is no doubt that the State of Israel, as a Jewish as
well as a democratic country, censures such acts and will
make every effort to locate the culprits responsible for so
heinous and ugly a crime and to bring them to justice.
Damaging a synagogue and Torah scrolls is a crime and must be
regarded with the utmost seriousness. All resources necessary
for locating the criminals and bringing them to justice must
be allocated," Eitan said.
He reported that the Police have established a special
investigation team, utilizing intelligence activities. During
the past few days, the course of the investigation has
changed. Alongside this, he stressed that the Police
Department is unable to disclose additional details, and
expressed hope that information would soon be made available
to the public
Rabbi Lazerson said that the burning of the synagogue in Gilo
is a very serious affair which has shocked Jews everywhere.
"It is foreboding for all of us. Even if the identities of
the perpetrators of this base crime are still unknown, the
fact that so disgraceful a felony could take place in our
country is horrifying. It is difficult to understand the
absurdity of our situation. On the one hand, total silence
prevails regarding the shocking burning of a synagogue and
its Torah scrolls On the other hand, all of the authorities
have joined forces to deny an innocent chareidi Jew his most
minimal human rights, and are detaining him in prison, when
he has committed no crime."
Rabbi Lazerson noted that the politicians fan the incitement
against the chareidi community and do nothing to curb their
speech. The media, he said, constantly finds fault with the
chareidi community. However, when so heinous an act as the
burning of a synagogue occurs, all are suddenly silent.
"Was the Jewish State established so that chareidi Jews,
perpetuators of the Jewish heritage throughout the
generations, would feel persecuted for their faith and
devotion to their tradition? Where will all this lead if we
don't stop this terrible wave of anti-chareidi incitement,
lead by, among others, the chairman of [political party]
Yisrael Achat, Ehud Barak. He, for the questionable
purpose of gaining votes, has decided to hop on the repulsive
bandwagon of attacks and incitement against Torah observers,
and in whose wake the fly-by-night party, which bears the
torch of hatred for those who are preserving the Jewish flame
in the state arose."
At the end of his speech, he bade farewell to the Knesset,
noting that during his five-month term, many fundamental,
stormy topics in the area of religion and state were raised.
He said that during his term of service, he voiced the outcry
of Torah Judaism. He also stressed that due to the law
against holding dual public positions, he is leaving the
Knesset and returning to his position in the Chinuch Atzmai
school system.
