Rabbi Shlomo Aviner of Beit El came under fire on Wednesday after reports surfaced that he had instructed his congregants to refrain from protesting the planned evacuation of the Ulpana neighborhood in the community.

One of the critics was the head of the Temple Institute, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, who told Arutz Sheva, “I am astounded by such remarks, especially when they come from rabbis who live in Beit El. To me it's strange. I do not expect a rabbi to speak that way. We do not need to be guided by political considerations. On the contrary, the world should see that a Jew in Israel is fighting for his home.”