The entire chareidi public was shocked at the publication of
a spiteful, deceitful and audacious article published on the
front page of the national-religious daily Hatsofe.
Following the appearance of the article MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni
contacted Attorney General Mani Mazuz demanding he open a
criminal investigation against journalist Chagai Huberman,
who wrote the article, to look into suspicions of libel.
Not for decades has such a scandalous diatribe against
gedolei Torah been published. The article appeared in
Hatsofe, a mouthpiece for the National Religious
Community, following Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz' visit to
the home of Maran HaRav Eliashiv, shlita, last week to
discuss various issues. During the course of their meeting
Mofaz asked several halachic questions related to evacuating
botei knesses and private homes in Gush Katif and
endangering the lives of the soldiers ordered to carry out
the evacuation. Maran replied with pointed halachic
answers.
In his letter to the Attorney General, Rabbi Gafni writes,
"In today's Hatsofe Chagai Huberman writes an
inflammatory, audacious article against Maran HaRav Eliashiv,
shlita. Maran, shlita, posek hador to
whom the eyes of the world are raised and upon whose rulings
the Jewish world lives, and in whose light of righteousness
and spiritual conduct thousands of Jews live and whose
judgment, intelligent and yiras Shamoyim are the fire
which leads the camp. Yet this is a personal problem for Mr.
Huberman and the like, of whom Chazal said, `Beware of the
glowing coal of talmidei chachomim.'
"What is turning into a public issue, a legal problem and a
criminal violation is the provocation stemming from the
article, which is riddled with factual ignorance,
unconscionable effrontery and above all untamed incitement
that is liable to lead unthinking, hotheaded youths on the
fringes of his camp to engage in [grave] acts, may Hashem
spare us."
In closing the letter Rabbi Gafni writes, "Since halochoh
forbids quoting excerpts from the scandalous article I have
enclosed a photocopy of the article and I demand you order
the opening of an investigation on suspicions of incitement
against godol hador, Maran, shlita."
Rabbi Gafni also asked Knesset Chairman Reuven Rivlin to hold
a plenum session to address the issue. The session is
expected to take place next week.
The publication of the denunciatory article in Hatsofe
caused great embarrassment among Gush Katif residents and
right-wing figures, many of whom sent the newspaper letters
of protest. The Council of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, the body
officially representing Gush Katif residents, published a
condemnation of Huberman's libelous, arrogant remarks.
A letter Council Chairman Bentzi Lieberman and General
Secretary Ze'ev Chaver (Zambish) sent to HaRav Eliashiv's
assistant, HaRav Yosef Efrati, said, "Although this newspaper
is not the mouthpiece of the Council of Judea, Samaria and
Gaza we feel it is fitting to make known these remarks do not
represent the Council of Judea, Samaria and Gaza or the
residents of Judea, Samaria and Gaza."
