August 29, 2012-Ovadia Yosef Stands Between Israel and Attack on Iran?? Migron to be Evacuated by Monday

There were two important items in the news this evening. The most ironic report was the announcement that attempts by Prime Minister Netanyahu to convince Rabbi Ovadia Yosef to support an attack on Iran have failed. Rav Ovadia is still opposed to Israel going to war alone. Rav Ovadia has ordered his cabinet members to oppose the attack. According to reports, without support from Shas ministers Netanyahu and Barak will likely be unable to gain the support needed by law to take action. How ironic that a 90 plus year old rabbi, who has made many seemingly irrational statements in the past few years, is now the only person standing in the way of what the majority of Israelis believe would be a disaster.

Of course, even for those of us who believe Israel should not attack alone, the spectacle of events currently taking place in Iran are hard to believe. As of tomorrow morning, the Iranians officially become the head of the Organization of Non Aligned Nations-for the next three years. Scores of world leaders are coming there to celebrate. This makes a mockery of sanctions, that should have long ago included not allowing commercial aircraft flights to and from Iran. The fact that the Secretary General of the UN decided he had to go to this celebration- and once there agreeing to speak of how important Iran is, is a real travesty. The only member state in the UN currently calling for the elimination of another member state is Iran. Yet they get these honors? Thomas Friedman had a good piece this morning decrying Egyptian President Morsi's quick visit to Teheran to hand over the stewardship of the Organization. Friedman's issue in his columun this morning was not Teheran’s nuclear program, but rather, the brutal way the regime put down the protest movement in Iran.

On the other side of the coin, the Chief secular court recently turned down the final appeal of the Migron settlers- in the strongest terms. Migron is one of the illegal outposts, whose right to exist has been litigated for years. However, the courts determined that the Migron settlement was built on private lands, and must be removed. After endless delay, the high court gave the state until Monday to evacuate the settlement. The question remains whether the settlers choose to go quietly. This, of course, connects to a larger question tied to the spate of recent attack on Arabs. Though that topic requires a more extensive discussion.