Israeli Rabbis sign religious ruling banning home rental to Arabs

PNN- Israeli media reported on Tuesday that 18 Israeli rabbis signed a new religious ruling calling on Jews not to rent or sell apartments to non-Jews and Arabs in particular.

Most of the rabbis, including controversial figure Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu—who called for a carpet bombing of Gaza in 2007 “regardless of the price in Palestinian life”—come from the Israeli city of Safed. Eliyahu could face trial soon for incitement against Arabs.

Minority Affairs Minister Avishay Braverman has recently asked the Israeli Justice Ministry to speed up proceedings against Eliyahu, whose salary is paid by public funds.

According to letter signed by the rabbis, “[Gentiles’] way of life is different than that of Jews. Among them are those who are bitter and hateful toward us and who meddle in our lives to the point where they are a danger.”

As for Jews who do sell to non-Jews, the letter states their Jewish neighbors are to avoid them and “deny [them] the right to read from the Torah.”

Following the publication of the letter, several of the rabbis defended their views. One even went so far as to reclaim the idea of racism.

"Racism originated in the Torah," said Rabbi Yosef Scheinen of Ashdod. "The land of Israel is desginated for the people of Israel. The world is so big and the State of Israel is small, that God intended it for the people of Israel and the whole world covets it. That is the injustice."

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50 Israeli rabbis warn against renting property to 'non-Jews'

Ma'an- Fifty Israeli rabbis have signed an open letter warning Jews not to rent or sell property to non-Jews, saying those who do should be "ostracized," a copy of the letter showed on Tuesday.

"In answer to the many questions, we say that it is forbidden in the Torah to sell a house or a field in the land of Israel to a foreigner," says the letter, referring to the Pentateuch, or the first five books of the Bible. Read more