One of Israel's most senior ultra-Orthodox rabbis, Dov Lando, has become the center of a political storm after a video recording of him criticizing Zionism was released. The controversy erupted just weeks before a pivotal parliamentary election in which the growing role of the ultra-Orthodox community — especially the issue of military conscription — is a hot-button topic.
In the footage released by Israeli media, the 96-year-old rabbi says Zionism has brought "catastrophes" upon the Jewish people and that Jews in Israel might have fared better without a state.
Who is Dov Lando?
Dov Lando, 96, is regarded as the leader of Israel's Lithuanian-tradition ultra-Orthodox community. Born in Poland and raised in the Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox tradition, he now heads a yeshiva, a traditional Jewish academy, in the city of Bnei Brak.
He is a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, the council of senior ultra-Orthodox rabbis that issues religious guidance for the community, and serves as the spiritual leader of the Degel HaTorah party. That party is part of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) alliance, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition.
What did Lando say about Zionism?
Earlier this week, Israeli media aired video of remarks Lando made a year ago in which he sharply criticized Zionism, military service and secular Israelis. The rabbi has made similar critical comments in the past.
In the video, Lando says Zionism "makes the Arabs hate us" and brings "catastrophes," both physical and spiritual, upon the Jewish people.
"It may be possible to live well with the Arabs without a state," Lando says, arguing that international or Palestinian rule would be the "best situation" for Jews.
He also criticized religious-Zionist soldiers — a branch of Orthodox Judaism that supports Zionism — saying "they are killed because their rabbis teach them a distorted Torah." According to him, many military campaigns are waged "not to save lives, but for the honor of the state."
The veteran rabbi also had harsh words for secular Israelis, saying they "have no connection to Judaism." He described them as having built "a state of apostasy and heresy."
Reaction in Israel
Lando's remarks drew fierce criticism from many Israeli politicians, including all the key figures who have joined the opposition bloc challenging Netanyahu.
Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party and seen as the opposition bloc's strongest candidate for prime minister, called Lando's statements "outrageous" and "the embodiment of anti-Zionism." Yair Lapid, the opposition leader in the Knesset, called the remarks "a disgrace to every Jew." Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads the Together alliance he co-founded with Lapid, said Lando's comments were "anti-Jewish, anti-Zionist" and ran counter to the Israeli military.
Netanyahu has not commented on the latest remarks attributed to Lando, but back in July he publicly condemned statements by the rabbi when Lando accused the religious-Zionist movement of "inciting murder" for supporting the forced conscription of seminary students.
Impact on the coming election?
The controversy could sway the election. Members of the anti-Netanyahu opposition bloc have called for UTJ — the alliance that includes Lando's party — to be excluded from any future government, and have criticized Netanyahu for maintaining his ties to the group.
Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, said Netanyahu "is silent because without Rabbi Lando and his emissaries, he has no government." According to Golan, "Netanyahu's political survival matters more to him than Zionism, more than equality in military service, and more than the blood of our soldiers."
Cutting ties with UTJ, however, would carry a steep political price for Netanyahu, whose coalition is heading into a hard-fought election campaign expected on October 27 and is polling well below the 61 seats needed for a majority.
According to an October 5 poll by Israel's Channel 12, UTJ is projected to win 8 seats in parliament.
"If Netanyahu attacks Lando forcefully, he will pay a price with the Haredi community he needs to form a government," said Ehab Jabareen, a researcher on Israeli affairs. "If he stays silent, he hands his rivals material to tell right-wing voters that the people talking about Zionism and security depend on a religious leadership that is itself skeptical of Zionism."
