The Israel Defense Forces have announced their selection of a new chief rabbi, a man who has previously said it is permissible for Israeli soldiers to rape non-Jewish women during wartime to maintain their fitness and morale.
In response to a question asking if soldiers are allowed to rape during war, Rabbi Col. Eyal Karim previously wrote that it's permissible during war for a soldier to "satisfy the evil inclination by lying with attractive Gentile women against their will, out of consideration for the difficulties faced by the soldiers and for overall success," according to Ynet News .
Even in Israel, a lot of people are angry that Rabbi Karim has been selected to such a prominent position after expressing such views. They've also taken issue with several other misogynistic views such as his opposition to women serving in the IDF.
"Because the damage to modesty that is likely to be caused to a girl and to the nation is decisive, the greats of the generation and the chief rabbinate have ruled that girls serving in the IDF is completely forbidden," Rabbi Karim said previously.
Some Israeli politicians voiced their strong opposition to the decision.
"Col. Eyal Karim is not suitable to be the chief rabbinical authority of the IDF, a body in which tens of thousands of women serve, and he isn't suitable to represent Jewish morality in any way whatsoever. His appalling, racist and violent statement makes women fair game," Zehava Galon, a member of Israel's Knesset and the chairperson of the left-wing Meretz party, said.
However, the IDF isn't backing down, claiming the views expressed by Rabbi Karim were answers to theoretical questions. "Rabbi Karim's moral approach is attested by his years of military service in command, combat, and rabbinical positions in which he displayed complete loyalty to the values and spirit of the IDF," a statement from the IDF said.
So, theoretically he thinks rape is OK but that doesn't mean he actually supports rape? #MakesNoSense
Unfortunately, there is nothing at all "theoretical" about the very real reality of Israel's ongoing aggression against Palestine and neighboring nations. So, those "theoretical" opinions could very easily become reality.