Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has backed a controversial decision by the Education Ministry to defend a West Bank religious school, the Od Yosef Chai Shechem Yeshiva, citing the large number of violent attacks coming out of the school.
Students from the yeshiva, which has received substantial funds from US groups, have been implicated in attacks on nearby Palestinian towns, including several “price tag” attacks and the burning of a mosque.
Even more troubling, Weinstein noted that the rabbis who teach at the school have refused to provide information about students involved in the attacks, and on occasion have spoken in support of the “price tag” movement.
The government has repeatedly attempted to defund the yeshiva, but has faced several appeals. This time, they ruled that continued funding what not just against Israel’s values, but a direct danger to public safety.
