Lithuania's leading ultra-Orthodox rabbi launches scathing attack on Zionism
Lithuanian Haredi leader Dov Lando, whose party sits in Netanyahu's coalition, slams those who enlist in the Israeli army. Here's what lies behind it.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Rabbi Dov Lando, leader of the Lithuanian Haredi community and whose party is part of Netanyahu's coalition, has criticized those who enlist in the Israeli army in terms that have sparked a major controversy in Israel. The row reopens the debate over the military service exemption for the ultra-Orthodox.
## Who is Rabbi Dov Lando and what did he say
Rabbi **Dov Lando** is the leader of the Lithuanian community, one of the most influential strands of ultra-Orthodox Judaism. His party is part of **Benjamin Netanyahu**'s governing coalition, which gives his statements immediate political weight.
In a post published on the social network X, Lando lashes out at the Israeli army and at those who enlist. The central phrase, translated from Arabic, is: "Those who go and are killed — are killed." The tone of the statement has triggered a wave of reactions among the Israeli public and political class.
## The military service exemption, an unresolved conflict
The controversy does not come out of nowhere. In Israel, ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students have historically enjoyed exemptions from compulsory military service, a situation that has fueled tensions for decades. The issue has worsened in recent years, with parliamentary debates and protests.
Lando's words are interpreted as a defense of that exemption model and as an attack on those who serve. His party, part of the government, has been one of the main champions of keeping those privileges.
## Reactions and political consequences
The spread of these statements has caused considerable controversy in Israeli political and media circles. The fact that they come from a religious leader whose party props up the government adds pressure on the coalition.
The debate over the conscription of the ultra-Orthodox is one of the most sensitive issues in Israeli politics, and statements like these inflame a conflict that pits religious sectors against broad swaths of society. The controversy remains unresolved.
## Who is Rabbi Dov Lando and what did he say
Rabbi **Dov Lando** is the leader of the Lithuanian community, one of the most influential strands of ultra-Orthodox Judaism. His party is part of **Benjamin Netanyahu**'s governing coalition, which gives his statements immediate political weight.
In a post published on the social network X, Lando lashes out at the Israeli army and at those who enlist. The central phrase, translated from Arabic, is: "Those who go and are killed — are killed." The tone of the statement has triggered a wave of reactions among the Israeli public and political class.
## The military service exemption, an unresolved conflict
The controversy does not come out of nowhere. In Israel, ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students have historically enjoyed exemptions from compulsory military service, a situation that has fueled tensions for decades. The issue has worsened in recent years, with parliamentary debates and protests.
Lando's words are interpreted as a defense of that exemption model and as an attack on those who serve. His party, part of the government, has been one of the main champions of keeping those privileges.
## Reactions and political consequences
The spread of these statements has caused considerable controversy in Israeli political and media circles. The fact that they come from a religious leader whose party props up the government adds pressure on the coalition.
The debate over the conscription of the ultra-Orthodox is one of the most sensitive issues in Israeli politics, and statements like these inflame a conflict that pits religious sectors against broad swaths of society. The controversy remains unresolved.
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