World
Rabbi Dov Lando Sparks Outcry in Israel With Criticism of Zionism
Rabbi Dov Lando, the 96-year-old spiritual leader of the Degel HaTorah party within Prime Minister Netanyahu's coalition, is facing intense backlash after a video surfaced of him calling Zionism a catastrophe for the Jewish people and saying Jews might have been better off without a state. The controversy comes weeks before Israel's election, where the ultra-Orthodox community's role — particularly military conscription — is a central issue. Opposition politicians have condemned the remarks, while Netanyahu has stayed silent, caught between his Haredi partners and his right-wing base.