“When lethal rockets emanate from a civilian population bordering on a Jewish town, Jewish Law permits the firing of shells at the site – after giving sufficient warning.”
This is the gist of a Halakhic [Jewish legal] ruling issued on Tuesday by four leading rabbis in various sectors of the Jewish public. Rabbi Yaakov Yosef (eldest son of former Chief Sephardic Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef), Rabbi Dov Lior, Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpe and Rabbi Meir Mazuz are signed upon the ruling.
The ruling states as follows: “When a population living near a Jewish town sends bombs at the Jewish town with the purpose of killing and destroying Jewish existence there, it is permitted, according to Jewish Law, to fire shells and bombs at the firing sites, even if they are populated by civilians.”
Warning Must be Given
“A warning of several hours must be given to the civilians to evacuate the areas that are about to be shelled and destroyed,” the ruling emphasizes. “After the warning is given, the responsibility for the residents’ lives is upon those who live there, or upon those who prevent them from leaving.”
In some cases, the rabbis state, the IDF's response to terrorist fire may be immediate even if there is no time for a warning. “It should be announced in advance that every place from where rockets are fired is liable to be bombed,” the legal ruling states, “in order that the local population will prevent [terrorists] from shooting in its midst.”
Among the signatories, Rabbi Lior is the Chief Rabbi of Hevron/Kiryat Arba, while Rabbi Mazuz is the Dean of Yeshivat Kiseh Rachamim in Bnei Brak and a member of the Shas Council of Torah Sages.