Most Israelis are supporters of Zionism, a sovereign state for Jews: aka, the land of Israel.[1] To many of these Zionists, the land of Israel is the land of promise of the Old Testament. Other Zionists are not inclined to the religious aspect, and are simply looking for a safe home to live as Jews. These folks are, of course, cultural Jews.
Yet, not all Israelis are happy to defend the ‘Zionist deception’,
as they think of it. The ultra-orthodox of Israel- the religious equivalent of
the Pharisees of Jesus’ day- are called the Haredim. For as long as the state
of Israel has existed (since 1948), the Haredim have opposed Zionist ideology.[2]
To the Haredim, Zionism is a pipe-dream, one concocted by secularized,
spiritually weak, Jews who are not fully dedicated to God. Some Haredim prefer
to think of themselves as living in a broader Palestine, similar to pre-1948,
before the creation of the modern nation of Israel. Other Haredim have made an
uneasy peace with the idea of Israel as a nation, but now that the state of
Israel does exist, it must bow itself spiritually before God. Others again are
more ready to work with the Israeli state, as it is within that state that they
live and are protected. All of these shades of the Haredim have in common that
they believe that Zionism is to be opposed, and that to focus on Israel itself,
the state, the land itself, without the fundamentals of true spirituality and
the presence of the messiah, is very displeasing to God, and must be rigorously
opposed.
What is little known by the outside world is that there is a
branch of the Haredim called the Neturei Karta, an ultra-ultra-orthodox group.
It is a tiny branch, but makes a lot of noise. This group despises entirely the
Zionist state as depraved and godless. To the Neturei Karta, the holocaust of
Jews was provoked by Zionist Jews hungry for the creation of a Zionist state.[3]
The Neturei Karta even attended a holocaust-denial conference in Tehran itself.
Yes, this is no lie![4]
The modern conflicts in Israel have stirred up passions in
the Haredim. The Haredim as a whole are reluctant to serve in the Israeli
military, under its Zionist regime. The Neturei Karta rejects Israel’s presence
in Palestine,[5]
and opposes the Zionist war against Iran.[6]
In a world of political coalitions, the Haredim has brought great political
pressure to bear, for no less than the former prime minister, Naftali Bennet,
excoriated Netanyahu recently for softening the requirements for the Haredim to
be called up as reservists.[7]
Even so, some Haredim responded positively- from the younger generation- and
what was formed, as the result of the Hamas attack, was the first Haredim
brigade called the Hasmonean Brigade.[8]
The Brigade is the result of political pressure, but also of Haredim’ attitudes
changing a tiny bit. For, these Haredim saw with their own eyes the devastation
brought by Hamas, and some of them could no longer stay out of the fight whilst
fellow Israelis died.
The Haredim’s political wing was silent for the longest time
in regard to the hostages in Gaza, such was their hostility to the ‘Zionist deception’.
According to an article, Netanyahu had called all political parties to unite to
showcase cross-party agreement for the hostages. The Haredim complied, yet were
also looking for Netanyahu to return the favor by establishing the
draft-exemption law for the Haredim.[9]
Compassion is not on tap in the Haredim.
But they have boatloads of zeal for their cause. It is this same group that has
for decades persecuted ‘Christians’.[10]
But we’ve seen this before, right? For the Haredim are the ‘sons of the
Pharisees’ who lived in Jesus’ day and hated him and his followers, religious
zealots who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.
[1] Lahav
Harkov, “90% of Israeli Jews call themselves Zionists, Herzl Day poll finds,”
The Jerusalem Times, May 19, 2016, https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/90-percent-of-israeli-jews-call-themselves-zionists-herzl-day-poll-finds-454347.
[2] RonPaulOrDie, “Judaism-Yes, Zionism-No
~ Ultra Orthodox Jews march against Israel,” YouTube, June 11, 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOVwgui8YLI&ab_channel=RonPaulOrDie; fatla00, “Haredi Jews Against
Israel,” YouTube, December 5, 2007, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oeB3QhX2RI&ab_channel=fatla00.
[3] Hillary Zaken, “‘Hitler, thank you
for the Holocaust’ is spray-painted on Yad Vashem,” The Times of Israel, June
11, 2012,
https://www.timesofisrael.com/anti-semitic-graffiti-sprayed-at-yad-vashem/.
[4]Neta Sela, “Neturei Karta: Iranians
making logical claim,” Ynet, December 12, 2006,
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3338873,00.html#; AP, “Ahmadinejad meets anti-Zionist
Jews,” YouTube, December 14, 2006,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXHdg2fNmJs&ab_channel=APArchive.
[5] “Mission Statement”, Neturei Karta International, accessed June 6, 2025,
https://nkusa.org/about-us/mission-statement/.
[6] N.A., “Hundreds Gather in Washington
D.C. to Denounce Zionist Aggression Against Iran,” Neturei Karta International,
June 18, 2025,
https://nkusa.org/hundreds-gather-in-d-c-to-denounce-zionist-aggression-against-iran/.
[7] Sam Sokol, “Ex-PM Bennett says
government dealing ‘crushing blow to reservists’ with Haredi draft bill,” lThe
Times of Israel, June 12,. 2025, https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-june-12-2025/.
[8] Emanuel Fabian, “First 50
ultra-Orthodox soldiers drafted to IDF’s new Haredi brigade,” The Times of
Jerusalem, January 5, 2025, https://www.timesofisrael.com/first-50-ultra-orthodox-soldiers-drafted-to-idfs-new-haredi-brigade/;
[9] Shalom Yerushalmi, “The Haredim are
now advocating for the hostages – too little, too late, too selfish,” the Times
of Jerusalem, January 25, 2025,
https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-haredim-are-now-advocating-for-the-hostages-too-little-too-late-too-selfish/
[10]Rosella Tercatin, “Report shows rise
in attacks on Christians in Israel, but a willingness to tackle issue,” The
Times of Israel, March 27, 2025, https://www.timesofisrael.com/report-shows-rise-in-attacks-on-christians-in-israel-but-a-willingness-to-tackle-issue/
No comments:
Post a Comment