The "Satan" Avigdor Lieberman

B"H

Shortly before the elections, the former Sephardi Chief Rabbi and spiritual leader of the SHASS Party, Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef called Avigdor Lieberman (Israel Beitenu) "Satan".
Lieberman is an Israeli politician who, without a doubt, hates Arabs. The Palestinians see him as a racist but also religious Jews call him by the same name. Avigdor Lieberman is of Russian origin but has been living in Isreal for many years. However, he never got rid of his Russian accent in Hebrew.

When Benjamin Netanyahu used to be Prime MInister in the 90ies, he partly gave Hebron to the Palestinians and as a member of the Sharon government, he agreed to the pullout out of Gush Katif. Decisions religious Jews, especially the national religious, hardly forgive him. These are the reasons why many Israelis ran over to other right - wing parties; because there is no trust in Netanyahu.

One of the great winners of this election is Avigdor Lieberman who also gained from the refusal of many to vote for the Likud (Netanyahu). However, a few days before the election, Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef called Lieberman "Satan". The reason is obvious: Lieberman stands for non - kosher restaurants and civil marriages.
These days, Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to put together a coalition and crown himself as the new Prime Minister. Lieberman is one of the most significant candidates for such a coalition, as he received 15 seats in the Knesset. The Russian knows that he is important and has his demands: Whoever he is going to join in a coalition, either Zipi Livni or Bibi Netanyahu, he demands an important position. Deputy Prime Minister and the introduction of civil marriages.

Since the foundation of the present State of Israel, the Chief Rabbinate (Rabbanut) has been in charge of marriages, and every Jew needed to register there. Those who didn't want to get married according to the Halacha (Cohanim (Temple Priests) with divorced women, or Jews and Gentiles) had to go abroad in order to get married. There are also cases where Jews and non - Jews got a marriages certificate from the Embassy of Paraguay etc. Although the couple has never been to Paraguay, they were sent a certificate.

Lieberman's "satanic" demands fit the Russian population in Israel. The majority in not halachically Jewish and usually hates religious Jews; especially the SHASS party. Today, Israel is flooded with thousands of Russian Goim who, through Lieberman, think to gain power and, on the other hand, diminish the power of the religious. These non - Jewish Russians don't care about Israel and especially not about an Israel with a Jewish identity. All they want is to receive their financial benefits and turning the country into a Gentile identity. Furthermore, a great amount of born Israelis would like to get around the Rabbanut and its strict regulations about Jewishness. Unfortunately, many people in this country want to be just like all the other nations and don't see the point in asking some old Rabbanut Rabbis if they are allowed to marry.

Satan or not, Avigdor Lieberman has definitely a market supporting his demands. Additionally he cries out for revenge against SHASS and Rabbi Yosef.
Sometimes I cannot really see such a big difference between him and the Arab Knesset parties. Both intend to destroy Jewish identity and a Jewish state. Lieberman claims to fight for Israel's existence. The point he doesn't seem to get is that Israel only exists with a Jewish identity and nothing else besides it. If Gentiles feel they should get married, so, go according to the Jewish rules because in a Jewish state and among the Jewish people you are nothing more but a guest. If you don't like living in a Jewish state, go to the Vatican, Moscow, New York or wherever you like. No one keeps you in Israel and in fact, we also don't need or want you.