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Shevat 25, 5770 / February 9, '10  
 
 
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    Published: 05/11/05, 1:22 PM / Last Update: 05/11/05, 1:48 PM

    Police Interrogate Rabbi for Opposing Disengagement

     
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    (IsraelNN.com) Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpe has been in the forefront of Chabad-Lubavitch pro-Land of Israel activities for over 25 years, and is one of the heads of Chabad's International Task Force to Save the Nation and Land.

    The police "put on yarmulkes and were very friendly," the rabbi told Arutz-7 today, "and interrogated me about my anti-disengagement activities. They actually told me that I must coordinate these activities - such as planned road-blocking - with them in advance. I told them that such a demand shows that the police have totally lost it. Though I'm not involved in road-blockings, the whole point of it is to confuse and occupy the police, I told them - so why would I want to tell them about it in advance?"

    Rabbi Wolpe, who lives in the southern-region city of Kiryat Gat, said that one of the policemen presented himself as responsible for disengagement affairs in the Israel Police Southern District.

    He told them, "You are cooperating with a war criminal who is planning to expel 9,000 Jews from their homes. I have no problem going to jail; I've already asked my wife to prepare my bags. You are a 'thought police that arrests innocent people."

    At the end of the interrogation, Rabbi Wolpe presented the policemen with the two books he wrote - one of them 25 years ago - against the hand-over of any Israeli territory to the enemy. The books are replete with references to Jewish legal and philosophic sources, as well as security-based considerations.

    Asked by Arutz-7 what form he thinks public opposition to the withdrawal plan should take, Rabbi Wolpe said, "I am not involved in specific plans. Our activities are mainly based on preparing large signs and the like, to prepare the public and raise its awareness. If the police actually close off Gush Katif, that will be a different story."

    Arutz-7 asked him, "It is claimed that Sharon is motivated by demographic factors in wanting to give away Gaza. How do you respond to this?"

    Rabbi Wolpe: "If he is worried about demographics, then why do social workers in his government encourage abortions to every young Jewish woman who has a financial problem? Why did they cut back on child allowances? Why do they encourage Arabs to have children, while discouraging Jewish population growth?"

    Another similar police interrogation also took place yesterday in the Kfar Saba police station. Natan Englesman, a Likud Party member who is known to be an opponent of the disengagement plan, was interrogated for "taking too many pictures" during a Holocaust Memorial Day event last week. Both Prime Minister Sharon and Natan's mother took part in the event.

    Englesman said that the police told him that he photographed too often, "and that is not legitimate... Know that you are under supervision; we are keeping our eyes open."

    Englesman said he told them, "What's not legitimate here is the expulsion plan... You know that I object to the plan, and so this is a political interrogation, and I will not cooperate... If you are implying that I wish to harm the Prime Minister, that's laughable, since I have many opportunities to meet him..."

    In Be'er Sheva yesterday afternoon, some 200 protestors clashed with the police, expressing their infuriation at the sudden adminstrative arrest of Neriah Ofan of Yitzhar. Ofan, who was arrested on Sunday night as he drove in his car just outside Jerusalem, will remain in prison until September 30, with no charges being presented against him. Ofan, 33, and his wife Naomi are the parents of four children. Several of yesterday's protestors were detained.


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