17 may 2015
President Rivlin to attend funeral for rabbi, who will be buried outside the Tomb of the Patriarchs.
Settler leader Rabbi Moshe Levinger will be laid to rest in the West Bank city of Hebron on Sunday at 12:30pm, a day after he died at the age of 80. He had suffered from health problems in recent years, after a serious stroke some seven years ago.
Levinger, who helped reestablish Jewish settlement in the heart of Hebron, will be buried close to the Tomb of the Patriarchs, one of the holiest sites in Judaism.
The rabbi led the first settlers back to Hebron in 1968, a year after Israel captured the city from Jordan in the Six-Day War. Jews had lived in the city for centuries until Arab riots drove most of them out in 1929. Today around 800 settlers live in heavily guarded areas of Hebron alongside 180,000 Palestinians.
President Reuven Rivlin will attend the funeral, which will take place in the square in front of the Tomb of the Patriarchs.
On Passover eve 1968, a group of religious families led by Levinger gathered at Park Hotel in Hebron, with the help of several Israeli ministers, to celebrate the festival, and subsequently refused to leave.
In a deal with the government, he moved with his family and followers to a former IDF base on a hill just northeast of Hebron, where, with the state’s cooperation, they established the settlement of Kiryat Arba.
In 1988, Rabbi Levinger shot to death a Palestinian, after he was pelted with rocks. The court sentenced him to five months imprisonment after he was convicted of negligent homicide.
Before he started serving his sentence he said: "I was faced with two possibilities: Open fire, or not. It is better that I sit five months and even five years in prison than to be led, along with my four children, to burial."
Settler leader Rabbi Moshe Levinger will be laid to rest in the West Bank city of Hebron on Sunday at 12:30pm, a day after he died at the age of 80. He had suffered from health problems in recent years, after a serious stroke some seven years ago.
Levinger, who helped reestablish Jewish settlement in the heart of Hebron, will be buried close to the Tomb of the Patriarchs, one of the holiest sites in Judaism.
The rabbi led the first settlers back to Hebron in 1968, a year after Israel captured the city from Jordan in the Six-Day War. Jews had lived in the city for centuries until Arab riots drove most of them out in 1929. Today around 800 settlers live in heavily guarded areas of Hebron alongside 180,000 Palestinians.
President Reuven Rivlin will attend the funeral, which will take place in the square in front of the Tomb of the Patriarchs.
On Passover eve 1968, a group of religious families led by Levinger gathered at Park Hotel in Hebron, with the help of several Israeli ministers, to celebrate the festival, and subsequently refused to leave.
In a deal with the government, he moved with his family and followers to a former IDF base on a hill just northeast of Hebron, where, with the state’s cooperation, they established the settlement of Kiryat Arba.
In 1988, Rabbi Levinger shot to death a Palestinian, after he was pelted with rocks. The court sentenced him to five months imprisonment after he was convicted of negligent homicide.
Before he started serving his sentence he said: "I was faced with two possibilities: Open fire, or not. It is better that I sit five months and even five years in prison than to be led, along with my four children, to burial."
16 may 2015
Moshe Levinger was among the leaders of the renewed Jewish settlement in Hebron and one of the founders of Kiryat Arba.
Rabbi Moshe Levinger, who has been a leading figure in the movement to settle Jews in the West Bank, passed away on Saturday at the age of 80.
The official announcement of his passing said, "the Jewish yeshuv in Hebron expresses deep sorrow over the death of the father of the community, Rabbi Moshe Levinger. Rabbi Levinger was the bearer of renewed Jewish settlement in the city, and for many years was a symbol and a respected figure in Hebron and the settlements in Judea and Samaria in general."
Rabbi Levinger, who was one of the principals of the now defunct settler movement Gush Emunim, grew up in Jerusalem, served in the Nahal, studied at the Mercaz haRav yeshiva in Jerusalem and at Kfar Haroeh. He served as a rabbi at Kibbutz Lavi in the Lower Galilee and in Moshav Nehalim near Petah Tikvah.
On Passover eve 1968, a group of religious families led by Rabbi Levinger gathered at Park Hotel in Hebron, with the help of several Israeli ministers, to celebrate Seder night, and then refused to leave. In a deal with the Israeli government, he moved with his family and followers to a former army base on a hill just northeast of Hebron, where, with the state’s cooperation, they established the settlement of Kiryat Arba.
Rabbi Moshe Levinger, who has been a leading figure in the movement to settle Jews in the West Bank, passed away on Saturday at the age of 80.
The official announcement of his passing said, "the Jewish yeshuv in Hebron expresses deep sorrow over the death of the father of the community, Rabbi Moshe Levinger. Rabbi Levinger was the bearer of renewed Jewish settlement in the city, and for many years was a symbol and a respected figure in Hebron and the settlements in Judea and Samaria in general."
Rabbi Levinger, who was one of the principals of the now defunct settler movement Gush Emunim, grew up in Jerusalem, served in the Nahal, studied at the Mercaz haRav yeshiva in Jerusalem and at Kfar Haroeh. He served as a rabbi at Kibbutz Lavi in the Lower Galilee and in Moshav Nehalim near Petah Tikvah.
On Passover eve 1968, a group of religious families led by Rabbi Levinger gathered at Park Hotel in Hebron, with the help of several Israeli ministers, to celebrate Seder night, and then refused to leave. In a deal with the Israeli government, he moved with his family and followers to a former army base on a hill just northeast of Hebron, where, with the state’s cooperation, they established the settlement of Kiryat Arba.
In 1975, Levinger led the attempt to establish a settlement on the ruins of the Sebastia train station. When then defense minister Shimon Peres demanded the settlers to evacuate the place, Rabbi Levinger said there was "nothing to talk about." He was photographed, alongside former MK Hanan Porat, carried on the shoulders of the settlers.
In 1979, the rabbi's wife Miriam entered Beit Hadassah in Hebron, and the family later moved to the Avraham Avinu neighborhood in Hebron.
In 1988, Rabbi Levinger shot to death a Palestinian, after he was pelted with rocks. The court sentenced him to five months imprisonment after he was convicted of negligent homicide.
Before he started serving his sentence he said: "I was faced with two possibilities: Open fire, or not. It is better that I sit five months and even five years in prison than to be led, along with my four children, to burial."
In recent years, Levinger suffered from health problems after a serious stroke some seven years ago.
Archive
Moshe Levingers real name is Rabbi Moshe ben Tirza HaLevi.
He is an American jew born in 1935.
His parents came from Germany. They founded Horev Yeshiva, Yeshivat Kfar Haroeh, and Merkaz Harav Yeshiva in the occupied Jerusalem.
He is an Israeli religious Zionist, extremely rightwing and members of the outlawed Kach and Kahane terrorist groups.
Levinger is the main founder of the Gush Emunim terrorist movement and the Yesha Council. He is the head of Gush Emunim.
Yesha council represents the jewish squatter colonies and movements; it also represents the "Israel for me" right-wing zionist movement.
Levinger represented the squatters who occupied the Palestinian town Sebastia together with the zionist war criminal Moshe Dayan. Sebastia is a Palestinian village located northwest of the city of Nablus, it has 3000 inhabitants.
Levinger served with the Nahal Paratroopers.
Levinger is involved in many murders and violent crimes against Palestinians in Hebron and throughout the West Bank.
He is married with an American terrorist, Miriam, another founder of the terror organization Gush Emunim. Together they have dozen children. They reside in the illegal Avraham Avino settlement in Hebron.
Levinger was a student under the guidance of Rabbi Avraham Shapira and Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook at the Mercaz haRav Bnei Akiva yeshiva in the occupied Jerusalem.
He was part of an elitist group of idealistic young men called "Gahelet" which contained a large proportion of future leaders of Gush Emunim who were largely influenced by the teachings of Rav Kook.
Levinger served as rabbi of teaching zionists at “Kfar Haroeh” Kibbutz Lavi in the Lower Galilee. He also served as a rabbi in another village near Petah Tikva.
On April 1968, Gush Emunim terrorist called its members for resettlement of the old city of Hebron. Levinger and six other Jewish families together with a group of Yeshiva youths moved (as tourists) into the Al-Naher-Al-Khaled Hotel at Ein-Sarah, in the main street in the city of Hebron. Levinger claimed that they want to celebrate the Passover at the Abraham cave. After 40 day of occupancy, Nachshon, Moshe Levinger and the other settlers were forced by the Al-Qwasmeh family to leave Al-Naher Al_Khaled hotel because they tried to take over the hotel and convert it into a synagogue. The settlers moved to the Israeli army compound in Hebron and settled there.
The Al-Naher Al-Khaled hotel belongs to the family of the former Major of Hebron, Mr. Fahed Al-Qwasmeh. In 1980 Mr. Al_Qawasmeh was deported to Jordan by the Israeli occupation, he was later assassinated by a Mossad hit squad on 29/12/1984.
In 1968, Levinger set up the first colony in Hebron. In 1972 he moved with his family into Kiryat Arba.
Maryam/Miriam Levinger, his wife, gave birth to three children during their stay at the Israeli military compound in Hebron.
Levinger is father of a dozen children and the grandfather of 11 grandchildren who live in many different squatter colonies in the West Bank.
In April 1979, Maryam Levinger and Sarah Nachshon lead a "demonstration" to the center of Al-Shuhada Street in Hebron. They settled in the in Al-Dabboia building, and a medical clink which had been a police station used during the Turkish Empire. The building had previously been ceded by the Jordanian kingdom, successor of the Turkish empire, to the UN. The entitlement of the settlers to residency here is obscure, as opposed to outright theft and murder, the more usual methods which the settlers use to acquire land. The continued residency of the settlers in this building can ultimately be interpreted as evidence that the UN supports the occupation and rewards terrorism. The occupied building was given the name of “Beit Hadassah”.
Maryam Levinger occupied “Beit Hadassah”. In 1986, the Levinger family moved together with 80 other American Jewish extremists into the Palestinian vegetable market in the old city and established a new colony, “Avraham Avinu”, in the neighborhood the Islamic Waqf building. Later Levinger wrote at the door of the Islamic building “Arabs are our filthy dogs”. Currently the neighborhood near the colony “Avraham Avinu” has been ethnically cleansed from Palestinians and everything was stolen by the squatters.
In 1987, Levinger was voted by 22 leading Israelis in the Hebrew weekly "Hadashot" as the most influential person of the generation on Israeli society along with Menachem Begin.
In 1987 Levinger was appointed as the ultimate leader of Gush Emunim.
In 1993 he unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.
On Sept. 30 1988, Levinger murdered the Palestinian shopkeeper Kayed Hasan Abed-Al_Aziz Salah, of age 42, for no apparent reason. Salah was murdered at the entrance of his shop in Bab Al-Zaweieh Street. Levinger was convicted five months in prison and seven months imprisonment – suspended after murdering Salah, but he was released after serving three months in prison.
Levinger has been convicted 7 times to jail, but he has always been released.
In March 1991 he went to jail for four months after being convicted for breaking into a Palestinian home and assaulting a woman and her two children, who had, Levinger claimed, been teasing one of his daughters.
1992 Levinger created a political party called "Tora Ve'eretz Yisrael" (Torah and Land of Israel).
On 20 November 1995, Maryam/Miriam was detained by police and forcibly brought to a court in Jerusalem. She was charged together with her husband for attacking a policeman.
Levinger took part in all the terrorist squatter groups which established colonies in the West Bank.
In 2008 Malachi Levinger, 37, son of Moshe Levinger, was elected “major” of Kiryat Arba Council. Malachi is the father of four terrorists who have been involved in several violent actions against Palestinians, like burning shops, houses and fields of Palestinian living in the areas neighboring the squatter colony of Kiryat Arba.
Malachi Levinger was a messenger with the former Soviet Union Liaison office which organized the immigration of Russian jews to Kiryat Arba in Hebron.
Malachi engages in brain-washing project for jews who immigrate or live in Kiryat Arba. This project runs patrols of terrorist religious groups in Hebron called "Roots Tours" and known in public as "City Fathers". These terrorist groups committed several murders of Palestinians and also shoot at Palestinian cars.
On Thursday Nov. 29 2007 Moshe Levinger got a brain clot and was transferred to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. His Palestinian victims will be very happy when they are finally spared of his presence and crimes. More pictures
In 1979, the rabbi's wife Miriam entered Beit Hadassah in Hebron, and the family later moved to the Avraham Avinu neighborhood in Hebron.
In 1988, Rabbi Levinger shot to death a Palestinian, after he was pelted with rocks. The court sentenced him to five months imprisonment after he was convicted of negligent homicide.
Before he started serving his sentence he said: "I was faced with two possibilities: Open fire, or not. It is better that I sit five months and even five years in prison than to be led, along with my four children, to burial."
In recent years, Levinger suffered from health problems after a serious stroke some seven years ago.
Archive
Moshe Levingers real name is Rabbi Moshe ben Tirza HaLevi.
He is an American jew born in 1935.
His parents came from Germany. They founded Horev Yeshiva, Yeshivat Kfar Haroeh, and Merkaz Harav Yeshiva in the occupied Jerusalem.
He is an Israeli religious Zionist, extremely rightwing and members of the outlawed Kach and Kahane terrorist groups.
Levinger is the main founder of the Gush Emunim terrorist movement and the Yesha Council. He is the head of Gush Emunim.
Yesha council represents the jewish squatter colonies and movements; it also represents the "Israel for me" right-wing zionist movement.
Levinger represented the squatters who occupied the Palestinian town Sebastia together with the zionist war criminal Moshe Dayan. Sebastia is a Palestinian village located northwest of the city of Nablus, it has 3000 inhabitants.
Levinger served with the Nahal Paratroopers.
Levinger is involved in many murders and violent crimes against Palestinians in Hebron and throughout the West Bank.
He is married with an American terrorist, Miriam, another founder of the terror organization Gush Emunim. Together they have dozen children. They reside in the illegal Avraham Avino settlement in Hebron.
Levinger was a student under the guidance of Rabbi Avraham Shapira and Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook at the Mercaz haRav Bnei Akiva yeshiva in the occupied Jerusalem.
He was part of an elitist group of idealistic young men called "Gahelet" which contained a large proportion of future leaders of Gush Emunim who were largely influenced by the teachings of Rav Kook.
Levinger served as rabbi of teaching zionists at “Kfar Haroeh” Kibbutz Lavi in the Lower Galilee. He also served as a rabbi in another village near Petah Tikva.
On April 1968, Gush Emunim terrorist called its members for resettlement of the old city of Hebron. Levinger and six other Jewish families together with a group of Yeshiva youths moved (as tourists) into the Al-Naher-Al-Khaled Hotel at Ein-Sarah, in the main street in the city of Hebron. Levinger claimed that they want to celebrate the Passover at the Abraham cave. After 40 day of occupancy, Nachshon, Moshe Levinger and the other settlers were forced by the Al-Qwasmeh family to leave Al-Naher Al_Khaled hotel because they tried to take over the hotel and convert it into a synagogue. The settlers moved to the Israeli army compound in Hebron and settled there.
The Al-Naher Al-Khaled hotel belongs to the family of the former Major of Hebron, Mr. Fahed Al-Qwasmeh. In 1980 Mr. Al_Qawasmeh was deported to Jordan by the Israeli occupation, he was later assassinated by a Mossad hit squad on 29/12/1984.
In 1968, Levinger set up the first colony in Hebron. In 1972 he moved with his family into Kiryat Arba.
Maryam/Miriam Levinger, his wife, gave birth to three children during their stay at the Israeli military compound in Hebron.
Levinger is father of a dozen children and the grandfather of 11 grandchildren who live in many different squatter colonies in the West Bank.
In April 1979, Maryam Levinger and Sarah Nachshon lead a "demonstration" to the center of Al-Shuhada Street in Hebron. They settled in the in Al-Dabboia building, and a medical clink which had been a police station used during the Turkish Empire. The building had previously been ceded by the Jordanian kingdom, successor of the Turkish empire, to the UN. The entitlement of the settlers to residency here is obscure, as opposed to outright theft and murder, the more usual methods which the settlers use to acquire land. The continued residency of the settlers in this building can ultimately be interpreted as evidence that the UN supports the occupation and rewards terrorism. The occupied building was given the name of “Beit Hadassah”.
Maryam Levinger occupied “Beit Hadassah”. In 1986, the Levinger family moved together with 80 other American Jewish extremists into the Palestinian vegetable market in the old city and established a new colony, “Avraham Avinu”, in the neighborhood the Islamic Waqf building. Later Levinger wrote at the door of the Islamic building “Arabs are our filthy dogs”. Currently the neighborhood near the colony “Avraham Avinu” has been ethnically cleansed from Palestinians and everything was stolen by the squatters.
In 1987, Levinger was voted by 22 leading Israelis in the Hebrew weekly "Hadashot" as the most influential person of the generation on Israeli society along with Menachem Begin.
In 1987 Levinger was appointed as the ultimate leader of Gush Emunim.
In 1993 he unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.
On Sept. 30 1988, Levinger murdered the Palestinian shopkeeper Kayed Hasan Abed-Al_Aziz Salah, of age 42, for no apparent reason. Salah was murdered at the entrance of his shop in Bab Al-Zaweieh Street. Levinger was convicted five months in prison and seven months imprisonment – suspended after murdering Salah, but he was released after serving three months in prison.
Levinger has been convicted 7 times to jail, but he has always been released.
In March 1991 he went to jail for four months after being convicted for breaking into a Palestinian home and assaulting a woman and her two children, who had, Levinger claimed, been teasing one of his daughters.
1992 Levinger created a political party called "Tora Ve'eretz Yisrael" (Torah and Land of Israel).
On 20 November 1995, Maryam/Miriam was detained by police and forcibly brought to a court in Jerusalem. She was charged together with her husband for attacking a policeman.
Levinger took part in all the terrorist squatter groups which established colonies in the West Bank.
In 2008 Malachi Levinger, 37, son of Moshe Levinger, was elected “major” of Kiryat Arba Council. Malachi is the father of four terrorists who have been involved in several violent actions against Palestinians, like burning shops, houses and fields of Palestinian living in the areas neighboring the squatter colony of Kiryat Arba.
Malachi Levinger was a messenger with the former Soviet Union Liaison office which organized the immigration of Russian jews to Kiryat Arba in Hebron.
Malachi engages in brain-washing project for jews who immigrate or live in Kiryat Arba. This project runs patrols of terrorist religious groups in Hebron called "Roots Tours" and known in public as "City Fathers". These terrorist groups committed several murders of Palestinians and also shoot at Palestinian cars.
On Thursday Nov. 29 2007 Moshe Levinger got a brain clot and was transferred to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. His Palestinian victims will be very happy when they are finally spared of his presence and crimes. More pictures
11 may 2015
Israel's new coalition government, under the direction of PM Benjamin Netanyahu, has taken on Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan as its deputy defense minister, known for his previous assertion that Palestinian are "human animals".
Al Ray Palestinian Media Agency reports that a wave of denunciations have aroused after appointing him from Israeli left-wing parties, in light of his extremist positions towards Palestinians.
Meretz leader Mussi Raz warned of Ben-Dahan's previous statements, in which he was quoted to say: "The Palestinians do not deserve life," describing them as "human animals", and they are not human beings and their life and their death are the same.
Raz added on his Facebook page: " Appointing Eli Ben-Dahan from the Jewish House as a deputy defense, what means that he is responsible of the Civil Administration, the government arm in the areas, is a crime. We are talking about a person who once said that the Palestinians are a human animals- sub-humans, they are not human beings and do not deserve life."
He continued: "Imagine a European deputy minister who is responsible for the Jewish minority there, says that the Jews do not deserve life," concluding: "If anybody still has an atom of ethics should prevent the formation of this government of hatred and death."
Al Ray Palestinian Media Agency reports that a wave of denunciations have aroused after appointing him from Israeli left-wing parties, in light of his extremist positions towards Palestinians.
Meretz leader Mussi Raz warned of Ben-Dahan's previous statements, in which he was quoted to say: "The Palestinians do not deserve life," describing them as "human animals", and they are not human beings and their life and their death are the same.
Raz added on his Facebook page: " Appointing Eli Ben-Dahan from the Jewish House as a deputy defense, what means that he is responsible of the Civil Administration, the government arm in the areas, is a crime. We are talking about a person who once said that the Palestinians are a human animals- sub-humans, they are not human beings and do not deserve life."
He continued: "Imagine a European deputy minister who is responsible for the Jewish minority there, says that the Jews do not deserve life," concluding: "If anybody still has an atom of ethics should prevent the formation of this government of hatred and death."
5 may 2015
An Israeli court in Occupied Jerusalem issued a verdict on Tuesday permitting fanatic Israeli rabbi Yehuda Glick to return back to storming the Aqsa Mosque.
Hebrew sources revealed that the court allowed rabbi Glick storm the holy site on condition he does it only once a month and without without escorting cameras or electronic devices. The Israeli police will inform him 24 hours prior to the date.
The extremist Glick was injured by the Jerusalemite martyr Mutaza Hijazi for his repeated incursions into the Aqsa Mosque.
Hebrew sources revealed that the court allowed rabbi Glick storm the holy site on condition he does it only once a month and without without escorting cameras or electronic devices. The Israeli police will inform him 24 hours prior to the date.
The extremist Glick was injured by the Jerusalemite martyr Mutaza Hijazi for his repeated incursions into the Aqsa Mosque.
14 apr 2015
A day after being hospitalized for heart issues upon his arrival to Israel from the US, Rabbi Pinto pleads guilty to bribery and obstruction of justice as part of plea bargain for lighter sentence.
Celebrity Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to charges of bribery at the Tel Aviv District Court, to which he arrived directly from the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, where he had been hospitalized immediately upon landing in Israel from the United States.
At the beginning of the hearing, the rabbi said: "My lawyers have read to me the indictment and yes, I admit it."
As part of a plea bargain, Rabbi Pinto admitted to the charges of bribery, attempted bribery and obstruction of justice. The rabbi will serve a lighter term in exchange for his testimony against a high-ranking police officer, Superintendent Efraim Bracha, who has been accused of accepting bribes from Pinto. Before his arrival to the court house, to which he arrived 20 minutes late, various versions of the rabbi's medical condition were reported. Pinto arrived in Israel on Monday and complained of chest pains during the flight over from the United States.
At the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, medical sources said that the examinations, which included a cardiac catheterization, showed Pinto had suffered from a serious heart problem and his family claimed that he had a blocked artery. Meanwhile, doctors said that he did not suffer from a coronary.
As requested by the prosecution, the judge in the case, Oded Modrik, filed a stay of exit order to ensure Pinto would not be able to leave Israel. On Tuesday, the court ordered Pinto to surrender his passport. Pinto agreed to testify against former head of the police's Lahav 443 anti-fraud unit Menashe Arbiv last September as part of a formal plea bargain with the state prosecutor. Arbiv was suspected of receiving benefits from businessman close to Rabbi Pinto. In exchange for the testimony, Pinto was promised a light jail sentence of a year in prison.
Associates of Rabbi Pinto had passed on information to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to try to make a deal: Pinto would provide testimony that would incriminate Arbiv in exchange for the cancellation of the indictment against him and also the investigation into one of the charities Pinto had headed.
The attorney general responded by filing an indictment against Pinto with charges which include bribing Superintendent Bracha in the amount of NIS 400,000 as well as for obstruction of justice. Bracha had notified his commanders of Pinto's request to bribe him and as per their order he continued to gather evidence against Pinto in the case.
Regarding sentencing, it was agreed Tuesday that the state would demand a one year prison sentence and an additional suspended sentence, fine and forfeiture of a significant amount of funds recovered.
Celebrity Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to charges of bribery at the Tel Aviv District Court, to which he arrived directly from the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, where he had been hospitalized immediately upon landing in Israel from the United States.
At the beginning of the hearing, the rabbi said: "My lawyers have read to me the indictment and yes, I admit it."
As part of a plea bargain, Rabbi Pinto admitted to the charges of bribery, attempted bribery and obstruction of justice. The rabbi will serve a lighter term in exchange for his testimony against a high-ranking police officer, Superintendent Efraim Bracha, who has been accused of accepting bribes from Pinto. Before his arrival to the court house, to which he arrived 20 minutes late, various versions of the rabbi's medical condition were reported. Pinto arrived in Israel on Monday and complained of chest pains during the flight over from the United States.
At the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, medical sources said that the examinations, which included a cardiac catheterization, showed Pinto had suffered from a serious heart problem and his family claimed that he had a blocked artery. Meanwhile, doctors said that he did not suffer from a coronary.
As requested by the prosecution, the judge in the case, Oded Modrik, filed a stay of exit order to ensure Pinto would not be able to leave Israel. On Tuesday, the court ordered Pinto to surrender his passport. Pinto agreed to testify against former head of the police's Lahav 443 anti-fraud unit Menashe Arbiv last September as part of a formal plea bargain with the state prosecutor. Arbiv was suspected of receiving benefits from businessman close to Rabbi Pinto. In exchange for the testimony, Pinto was promised a light jail sentence of a year in prison.
Associates of Rabbi Pinto had passed on information to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to try to make a deal: Pinto would provide testimony that would incriminate Arbiv in exchange for the cancellation of the indictment against him and also the investigation into one of the charities Pinto had headed.
The attorney general responded by filing an indictment against Pinto with charges which include bribing Superintendent Bracha in the amount of NIS 400,000 as well as for obstruction of justice. Bracha had notified his commanders of Pinto's request to bribe him and as per their order he continued to gather evidence against Pinto in the case.
Regarding sentencing, it was agreed Tuesday that the state would demand a one year prison sentence and an additional suspended sentence, fine and forfeiture of a significant amount of funds recovered.
24 mar 2015
Fanatic rabbi Yehuda Glick incited the Israeli police to use force to deal with the Muslims, especially the women, at the Aqsa Mosque at the pretext of protecting Jewish visitors.
In Facebook remarks on Monday, Glick strongly denounced the police in Jerusalem for what he called their silence on the "violence" against the Jews in the city in general and on the "temple mount" in particular.
"Your tolerance for violence is a finger on the trigger of the next killer," he said, in reference to the failed attempt to assassinate him lately in Jerusalem.
"I say here clearly and unequivocally, more blood will flow on the temple mount and then you, the Israeli police, cannot shirk your responsibilities and say 'this is not done by our hands' because your hands are already stained with blood," he added.
He also urged the Knesset to put an end to the alleged violence against the Jews in Jerusalem.
"The task of the upcoming Knesset is also to cease this violence that targets the Jewish citizens of Israel in the name of radical Islam."
Glick made his remarks in reaction to the recent incident of pouring water on a fellow rabbi by a Palestinian woman at the Aqsa Mosque.
In Facebook remarks on Monday, Glick strongly denounced the police in Jerusalem for what he called their silence on the "violence" against the Jews in the city in general and on the "temple mount" in particular.
"Your tolerance for violence is a finger on the trigger of the next killer," he said, in reference to the failed attempt to assassinate him lately in Jerusalem.
"I say here clearly and unequivocally, more blood will flow on the temple mount and then you, the Israeli police, cannot shirk your responsibilities and say 'this is not done by our hands' because your hands are already stained with blood," he added.
He also urged the Knesset to put an end to the alleged violence against the Jews in Jerusalem.
"The task of the upcoming Knesset is also to cease this violence that targets the Jewish citizens of Israel in the name of radical Islam."
Glick made his remarks in reaction to the recent incident of pouring water on a fellow rabbi by a Palestinian woman at the Aqsa Mosque.
18 feb 2015
Rabbi Mendel Epstein allegedly led a group of 'get enforcers' who used handcuffs, electric cattle prods to torture men into granting divorces.
A rabbi who prosecutors say employed a kidnap team to force unwilling Jewish husbands to divorce their wives is set to stand trial.
Openings arguments are expected Wednesday in Rabbi Mendel Epstein's trial on charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and attempted kidnapping. Prosecutors allege that the Orthodox rabbi's team used brutal methods and tools, including handcuffs and electric cattle prods, to torture the men into granting divorces.
"If it can get a bull that weighs 5 tons to move, you put it in certain parts of his body and in one minute the guy will know," prosecutors said Epstein told two undercover FBI agents posing as a brother and sister trying to force the sister's husband to grant the ritual Jewish divorce known as a "get." Prosecutors say he was recorded telling the agents the effort would cost at least $50,000.
The kidnap team brought surgical blades, a screwdriver and rope to a staged kidnapping in 2013, according to the indictment. Epstein, who was indicted last May along with his son and three other Orthodox rabbis, told the undercover agents he arranged similar kidnappings every year or year and a half, the indictment said. Several co-defendants have pleaded guilty in the case and others will go on trial with Epstein. Defense lawyer Robert Stahl disputed the charges and called Epstein a "champion of women's rights." Epstein wrote the 1989 book "A Woman's Guide to the Get Process."
"I think that a lot of information will come out about the supposed victims, and the evidence will not be there that he was involved in certain incidents," Stahl said last week. "Much more will come to light once the trial gets under way." Epstein is free on bail. No one answered the door last week at his two-story house in Lakewood, a community near the Jersey shore where more than 60,000 Orthodox Jews reside.
A rabbi who prosecutors say employed a kidnap team to force unwilling Jewish husbands to divorce their wives is set to stand trial.
Openings arguments are expected Wednesday in Rabbi Mendel Epstein's trial on charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and attempted kidnapping. Prosecutors allege that the Orthodox rabbi's team used brutal methods and tools, including handcuffs and electric cattle prods, to torture the men into granting divorces.
"If it can get a bull that weighs 5 tons to move, you put it in certain parts of his body and in one minute the guy will know," prosecutors said Epstein told two undercover FBI agents posing as a brother and sister trying to force the sister's husband to grant the ritual Jewish divorce known as a "get." Prosecutors say he was recorded telling the agents the effort would cost at least $50,000.
The kidnap team brought surgical blades, a screwdriver and rope to a staged kidnapping in 2013, according to the indictment. Epstein, who was indicted last May along with his son and three other Orthodox rabbis, told the undercover agents he arranged similar kidnappings every year or year and a half, the indictment said. Several co-defendants have pleaded guilty in the case and others will go on trial with Epstein. Defense lawyer Robert Stahl disputed the charges and called Epstein a "champion of women's rights." Epstein wrote the 1989 book "A Woman's Guide to the Get Process."
"I think that a lot of information will come out about the supposed victims, and the evidence will not be there that he was involved in certain incidents," Stahl said last week. "Much more will come to light once the trial gets under way." Epstein is free on bail. No one answered the door last week at his two-story house in Lakewood, a community near the Jersey shore where more than 60,000 Orthodox Jews reside.
12 feb 2015
Rabbi Eliezer Berland fled Israel after allegedly committing sexual offenses in women, including a minor, who came to seek his counsel; attorney says rabbi will appeal decision.
A court in the Netherlands decided on Thursday to extradite Rabbi Eliezer Berland to Israel, where he's wanted for questioning on suspicion of sexual offenses.
Rabbi Berland, one of the leaders of the Breslov Hasidic movement in Israel, escaped the country almost two years ago after suspicions against him arose that he committed sexual offenses in women, including a minor, who came to seek his counsel. He has since moved from one country to another - including Morocco - with hundreds of his followers, out of fear he would be extradited to Israel.
Rabbi Berland's attorney, Sharon Nahari, said he intends to appeal the decision. "We're studying the decision at the moment," Attorney Nahari said. "We've agreed with Dutch authorities that he won't be arrested at this point, so he could continue wandering freely in the Netherland. We intend to file an appeal that will be in court in a few months.
We also intend to turn to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, and we'll await an answer to the appeal. We're still confident that our arguments are good arguments and the rabbi shouldn't be extradited to Israel." Rabbi Berland was arrested last September by the Dutch police while he was in Amsterdam. The Justice Ministry announced then that Israel intended to demand his extradition, after the arrest was made at Israel's request with an arrest warrant issued by Interpol. A day after Berland's arrest, a Dutch court ordered his release. The court accepted Berland's claims and released him on bail.
In a conversation with Ynet after his release, Berland rejected the accusations against him. "All of a sudden two policemen came and told me I was under arrest. The police in Israel are persecuting me."
A court in the Netherlands decided on Thursday to extradite Rabbi Eliezer Berland to Israel, where he's wanted for questioning on suspicion of sexual offenses.
Rabbi Berland, one of the leaders of the Breslov Hasidic movement in Israel, escaped the country almost two years ago after suspicions against him arose that he committed sexual offenses in women, including a minor, who came to seek his counsel. He has since moved from one country to another - including Morocco - with hundreds of his followers, out of fear he would be extradited to Israel.
Rabbi Berland's attorney, Sharon Nahari, said he intends to appeal the decision. "We're studying the decision at the moment," Attorney Nahari said. "We've agreed with Dutch authorities that he won't be arrested at this point, so he could continue wandering freely in the Netherland. We intend to file an appeal that will be in court in a few months.
We also intend to turn to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, and we'll await an answer to the appeal. We're still confident that our arguments are good arguments and the rabbi shouldn't be extradited to Israel." Rabbi Berland was arrested last September by the Dutch police while he was in Amsterdam. The Justice Ministry announced then that Israel intended to demand his extradition, after the arrest was made at Israel's request with an arrest warrant issued by Interpol. A day after Berland's arrest, a Dutch court ordered his release. The court accepted Berland's claims and released him on bail.
In a conversation with Ynet after his release, Berland rejected the accusations against him. "All of a sudden two policemen came and told me I was under arrest. The police in Israel are persecuting me."
10 feb 2015
Ex-chief rabbi Yonna Metzger to face trial for numerous counts of bribery, fraud and money laundering.
The state has filed an indictment against Rabbi Yona Metzger, former Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, for bribery, fraud, money laundering and other crimes.
Rabbi Metzger is suspected of accepting NIS 10 million in bribes, of which he personally pocketed NIS 7 million. A state witness aided the investigation carried out against the rabbi and recorded him in conversations. The indictment follows a recommendation by the police and the attorney general.
The rabbi is being indicted for corruption and receiving illicit donations valued at millions of shekels in exchange for services he conducted as part of his role as chief rabbi. Metzger has been informed of the indictment.
According to the suspicion, Rabbi Metzger used his driver Haim Eisensdadt as his cash courier for financial offenses. Police suspect Rabbi Metzger gave his drive 10 percent of the bribes he received.
According a letter sent to the Rabbi's lawyers, Metzger recieved pocketed financial benefits from business moguls that hoped to convert to Judiasm.
In one case cited as an example, a Russian businessman turned to Metzger in 2011 and asked the rabbi to help convert his son and daughter. Metzger referred him to his confidant, a Rabbi living abroad, who received $360,000 for the conversion. It is suspected that Rabbi Metzger received half of the amount paid to the foreign rabbi, $18,000.
Exactly a year ago, the police recommended indicting Metzger for bribery, fraud, money laundering and other crimes. The decision then moved to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, who also recommended an indictment. "The investigation painted a clear picture according to which (Metzger) received bribes and illicit funds for years in exchange to using his position and influence over issues like donations, giur (conversion to Judaism), rabbi appointments as well as ties with business moguls in exchange for personal gain," the indictment read.
The police investigation showed that millions of shekels in donations were allegedly transferred to non-profit organizations connected to the rabbi.
The investigation also showed that Metzger used part of those funds for his personal needs, and additional funds were accumulated as bribes for decisions that he made as chief rabbi of Israel.
The state has filed an indictment against Rabbi Yona Metzger, former Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, for bribery, fraud, money laundering and other crimes.
Rabbi Metzger is suspected of accepting NIS 10 million in bribes, of which he personally pocketed NIS 7 million. A state witness aided the investigation carried out against the rabbi and recorded him in conversations. The indictment follows a recommendation by the police and the attorney general.
The rabbi is being indicted for corruption and receiving illicit donations valued at millions of shekels in exchange for services he conducted as part of his role as chief rabbi. Metzger has been informed of the indictment.
According to the suspicion, Rabbi Metzger used his driver Haim Eisensdadt as his cash courier for financial offenses. Police suspect Rabbi Metzger gave his drive 10 percent of the bribes he received.
According a letter sent to the Rabbi's lawyers, Metzger recieved pocketed financial benefits from business moguls that hoped to convert to Judiasm.
In one case cited as an example, a Russian businessman turned to Metzger in 2011 and asked the rabbi to help convert his son and daughter. Metzger referred him to his confidant, a Rabbi living abroad, who received $360,000 for the conversion. It is suspected that Rabbi Metzger received half of the amount paid to the foreign rabbi, $18,000.
Exactly a year ago, the police recommended indicting Metzger for bribery, fraud, money laundering and other crimes. The decision then moved to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, who also recommended an indictment. "The investigation painted a clear picture according to which (Metzger) received bribes and illicit funds for years in exchange to using his position and influence over issues like donations, giur (conversion to Judaism), rabbi appointments as well as ties with business moguls in exchange for personal gain," the indictment read.
The police investigation showed that millions of shekels in donations were allegedly transferred to non-profit organizations connected to the rabbi.
The investigation also showed that Metzger used part of those funds for his personal needs, and additional funds were accumulated as bribes for decisions that he made as chief rabbi of Israel.
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