Dov Lando, a prominent ultra-Orthodox rabbi in Israel, has sparked controversy with recent comments criticising Zionism. In a video released this week, the 96-year-old rabbi stated that the ideology of Zionism has led to suffering for the Jewish people and suggested they might have been better off without a state.
His remarks come just weeks before significant legislative elections, where the growing influence of the ultra-Orthodox community is a key topic, particularly regarding military service. The political stance of ultra-Orthodox parties could be pivotal for the next government.
Lando, who leads Israel’s Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox community and heads a yeshiva in Bnei Brak, belongs to the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah council of senior rabbis and is the spiritual leader of the Degel HaTorah party, which is part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.
In the controversial video, Lando expressed that Zionism has incited hatred from Arabs and has brought “disasters” upon Jews. He remarked, “It is possible to live well with the Arabs without a state,” and claimed that Jewish life would have been better under international or Palestinian governance. He also criticised Religious Zionism, suggesting that soldiers from this movement are sacrificing their lives for the state’s honour rather than saving lives. Additionally, he condemned secular Israelis as disconnected from Judaism, calling their state one of “apostasy and heresy.”
The backlash against Lando’s statements has been fierce, with opposition figures, including Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Lapid, labelling his comments as anti-Zionist and disgraceful. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also condemned Lando’s remarks as anti-Semitic.
While Netanyahu has yet to comment on these latest statements, he previously condemned Lando’s rhetoric in July when the rabbi accused Religious Zionism of inciting violence against military service for religious students.
The fallout from this controversy may influence the upcoming elections on 27 October. Members of the anti-Netanyahu bloc have urged for the United Torah Judaism party, which includes Lando’s faction, to be excluded from future governance. Yair Golan from the Democrats party suggested that Netanyahu’s silence indicates his political dependence on Lando and similar figures.
Breaking away from the UTJ could be politically damaging for Netanyahu, whose coalition is already struggling and projected to win fewer seats than needed for a majority in the Knesset.
