Full Breakdown
Rabbi Dov Lando’s Anti-Zionist Remarks Spark Broad Condemnation
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Core Controversy
In a video recorded at his home in Bnei Brak, Rabbi Dov Lando—head of the Slabodka Yeshiva and a senior figure in the Lithuanian Haredi community—criticized religious Zionism, the founders of the Israeli state, and secular Israeli society. Speaking to a small group of rabbis, he argued that young Haredi men who avoid the military draft should not feel remorse for the casualties suffered by the Religious Zionist community. Lando framed Torah study in yeshivas as the primary protection for Israel’s residents and dismissed the secular public as disconnected from Judaism.
Official Responses
Government and opposition figures denounced Lando’s statements as anti-Zionist and inflammatory. Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, posted on X that Lando’s remarks constitute “slanderous words” and embody “anti-Zionism in its purest form.” Avigdor Liberman, chairman of Yisrael Beytenu, warned that the rhetoric threatens the draft system and accused Lando of aligning with anti-Zionist forces that undermine the state. Former prime minister Naftali Bennett labeled the comments “shameful” and linked them to the current government’s policies, asserting that they reflect a broader anti-Zionist agenda.
Criticism & Opposition
Political leaders emphasized that Lando’s views contradict the collective sacrifice of Israel’s security forces. Liberman highlighted the financial support the Haredi community receives from the state, questioning why the same community would refuse to serve. Bennett suggested that the remarks echo the rhetoric of parties opposed to the current coalition, implying that they aim to delegitimize the government’s legitimacy.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There is no explanation why Arabs don't unite to wash away the entire land, and mercifully spare them from exterminating everyone. There is no explanation (other than the Torah),” — Rabbi Dov Lando
- “I don't know what would have happened if at first there was no state and they had established a UN government here - it would have been an excellent situation,” — Rabbi Dov Lando
- “Without them, Bibi has no government: Anti-Zionists who say it would have been better if the State of Israel had never been established, call Zionists 'robbers' and claim that fighters of Religious Zionism are dying because of a 'distorted Torah,'” — Avigdor Liberman, yisrael beytenu chairman
- “This is Netanyahu's government today, and this is the government he wants to establish once again,” — Naftali Bennett, former prime minister