The Movement for Quality Government in Israel has lodged a formal complaint against Sephardic Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchok Yosef, addressing the judiciary ombudsman on Monday, alleging that his alleged politicization of his judicial role warrants his removal from the Great Rabbinical Court of Appeals.
In a communication to the ombudsman, former Supreme Court justice Uri Shoham, the watchdog group contended that Rav Yosef’s recent remarks advocating draft evasion amounted to “a blatant violation of the rules of ethics for judges.”
During a speech on Motzoei Shabbos, Rav Yosef had stated that individuals engaged in Torah study should not be conscripted into the army “under any circumstances, no matter what,” and warned of Chareidi enlistment avoidance leading to emigration.
These comments elicited strong criticism from secular and national religious leaders, with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid denouncing them as “a disgrace and an insult to the IDF soldiers who sacrifice their lives for the defense of the country.”
Lapid emphasized the urgent need for Chareidi enlistment, linking it to vital financial incentives and stressing the tangible consequences of insufficient military personnel.
The Movement for Quality Government’s complaint accuses Rav Yosef of overstepping his judicial authority by interfering in a contentious political issue, potentially influencing Chareidi conscription during wartime. Additionally, they argue that his remarks constitute interference in an ongoing legal proceeding regarding Chareidi military service.
Furthermore, the group asserts that Rav Yosef’s conduct undermines public trust in the impartiality of rabbinical courts, urging prompt investigation and, if deemed appropriate, action to terminate his tenure as a judge.
{Matzav.com Israel}