By Anash.org reporter An Israeli lawmaker from the leftist “Democrats” party has called for a criminal investigation into Harav Gedalia Axelrod, a senior Chabad rov official and former Av Beis Din of Chaifa, following a halakhic ruling he issued on the formation of an Israeli government supported by Arab political parties. MP Michal Rozin on Thursday called on authorities to investigate Harav Axelrod, accusing him of inciting violence and racism for a letter he published earlier this week. In the letter, Harav Axelrod warned against establishing a government with the participation or support of Arab parties, and ruled that political leaders who facilitate such a government fall into the halakhic category of those whose actions endanger the lives of others. He further warned that lawmakers who allow such a government to be formed by abstaining from a vote would also be responsible for endangering Jewish lives. Rozin responded to X, stating that the rov’s statements crossed the line from religious expression to criminal incitement. He drew comparisons to the period before the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin in 1995, and warned that similar rhetoric directed at political leaders had preceded the acts of violence. The controversy occurs amid statements by the Democratic president, Yair Golan, who has advocated forming a government with the participation of Arab parties. Golan has also called for an end to what he describes as a “racist divide” between Jewish and Arab votes in determining which political bloc can form a government. Following the publication of Harav Axelrod’s letter, the Center for Victims of Racism filed an urgent complaint with the Israel Police, the Attorney General and the State Prosecutor’s Office, demanding an investigation into possible crimes of incitement to violence, solicitation of murder and incitement to racism. Calls for criminal proceedings against the 85-year-old Rov veteran sparked criticism from the Israeli civil rights organization B’Tsalmo. Its director, Shai Glick, accused left-wing politicians and organizations of trying to silence rabbonim through the threat of criminal prosecution. “The Knesset has barely begun and the silencing has already begun,” Glick said. He asked prosecutors to dismiss the complaint, arguing that rabbis and public figures should not face criminal prosecution simply for expressing their religious and halakhic positions. In response to the controversy, Chabad spokesperson Rabbi Shimi Segal clarified that Harav Axelrod’s statements do not represent Chabad’s official position. “Chabad’s official halakhic positions are determined exclusively by the Chabad Rabbinical Court, in accordance with the Rebbe’s instructions,” he said. “Rabbi Axelrod is not a member of the court and does not hold a leadership position in Chabad. His statements and letters reflect solely his personal views.”
