loading…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said God does not always protect Jews in Europe and in Ukraine. Photo/REUTERS
TEL AVIV – Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about God’s protection of the Jewish people, especially in Europe.
The remarks came on Sunday as he wanted to warn of the security risks of visiting rabbis’ graves in Ukraine on Rosh Hashanah.
Netanyahu’s statement sparked significant reactions from various communities in Israel.
“Israeli citizens traveling to Ukraine must take personal responsibility. There are no protections there,” he stressed.
“Historically, God has not always protected us, especially in Europe and Ukraine,” continued Netanyahu, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post, Monday (11/9/2023).
Religious Israelis disagree with Netanyahu’s statement, interpreting it as suggesting that God has not consistently protected the Jewish people throughout history.
Quickly responding to Netanyahu’s statement, the Shas Party, which represents most of Israel’s Sephardi population, hit back at Netanyahu’s statement. “God has always watched over the people of Israel through all trials,” the party said.
Their statement goes on to state that the survival of the Jewish people over thousands of years, in the face of countless challenges and when other powerful nations disappeared, proves divine protection.
They add that this divine guidance is, however, conditional on faith and obedience to the Torah and His commandments.