A decision to allow into Israel a controversial American rabbi whose remarks justifying murdering Yitzhak Rabin Raised an uproar in the Jewish state — even leading one lawmaker to say he would appeal the move to Israel’s highest court.
Interior Minister Eli Suissa of Shas announced this week that he saw no reasons for continuing the ban on Abraham Hecht entering the country.
Hecht is a staunch opponent of the peace process with the Palestinians.
In a September 1995 magazine interview, Hecht declared that “whoever kills Rabin will be doing a good deed.”
In subsequent interviews, Hecht said his remarks were misinterpreted, and that he never justified the killing of Rabin.
Rabin was assassinated on Nov. 4, 1995, by a student, Yigal Amir, who told investigators that his act was justified by halachah, or Jewish law.
A month after his assassination, then-Interior Minister Haim Ramon barred Hecht and six other American Jews from entering Israel because of their alleged involvement in activities that endanger state security.
Suissa’s move prompted sharp protests from left-wing legislators.
Meretz Knesset member Amnon Rubinstein said that if Hecht tried to visit Israel, he would petition the High Court of Justice to block it.
“I sent a letter to the interior minister informing him that if he lets [Hecht] enter Israel, I will have no choice but to turn to the High Court,” Rubinstein told Israel Radio.
“In essence, he gave someone like Yigal Amir the green light by saying that whoever murders Yitzhak Rabin would be doing something good. Such a person cannot be allowed to set foot in our country,” he said.
Hecht could not be reached for comment.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
