Jewish supremacist: Burning churches legitimate under Jewish law

Rabbi Bentzi Gophstein, head of the Lehava organization, said again yesterday that he supports the burning of churches as a legitimate act under Jewish law (Halachic), because these churches are considered as "houses of idolatry". Now you know where these young people are getting their direction from to conduct terrorism against Christian churches in Israel

The panel, which included prominent rabbis and political figures and was led by Rabbi Abba Turetsky, featured a heated debate surrounding the status of Christian churches in Israel that were labeled "houses of idolatry." Gophstein, a radical right-wing activist, was asked, "Do you support burning churches in Israel, yes or no?" by Benny Rabinowitz, a writer for the ultra-Orhtodox daily newspaper Yated Ne'eman, who attended the event. Gophstein replied, citing a Maimonides ruling that churches should be burned. "Are you for Maimonides or against him?" he asked, rhetorically.

Gophstein's answer shocked the attendees, including Rabbi Moshe Klein, who is the Rabbi for the Hadassah Medical Center, and deputy mayor of the city of Elad, Tzuriel Krispel, who immediately and vigorously expressed opposition to his remarks. "Benzti are you for burning or not?" Rabbi Turetsky asked. "Of course I am," Bentzi can be heard saying in the recording. "It’s Maimonides. Simply yes, what is there to question?"

Bentzi Gophstein

Rabbi Klein told Gophstein, "You are on camera and being recorded. If this lands in the hands of the police, you will be arrested." Gophstein answered, "That’s the last thing that worries me. I'm willing to sit in prison for 50 years the truth."

Immediately after the meeting, Rabinowitz exposed Gophstein's remarks on twitter, igniting a social media frenzy.

Gophstein denied the reports, and stated that he was merely quoting Maimonides as a part of a Halachic (Jewish law) debate. Recording notwithstanding, Gophstein is still trying to claim that the remarks were part of a theoretical debate.

Gophstein has been repeatedly detained by police on charges of incitement to violence and incitement to racism, but has never been indicted.

"In a closed panel at the Wolfson Yeshiva, a debate emerged regarding Maimonides' view on Christianity," he said to Ynet. "During the debate I said that according to Maimonides, idolatry should be burned. I emphasized a number of times that I was not calling for action, but just repeating the ways of Maimonides, and that action is in the hands of the government - not individuals. I understand that there is slander against the right wing, and people are trying to catch us on every word, but I would recommend they first investigate the inciters in the mosques or Tibi and Zoabi. Then talk to me."