Rabbi Dov Lando, spiritual leader of the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Degel Hatorah faction, attacked the religious Zionist community, accusing them of waging wars that were not for Israel’s protection.
“If the country sends people, soldiers, in the name of the country’s honor, and they kill people, is that also allowed?” he questioned. “It’s simply murder. So they’re inciting to murder, that’s what they’re doing.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Lando’s words, saying that IDF soldiers deserve gratitude and appreciation.
“IDF soldiers – religious, secular, and ultra-Orthodox – leave their homes, their work, and their families and risk their lives to defend the State of Israel, its citizens, and the entire people of Israel,” Netanyahu stated.
“They deserve deep appreciation, gratitude, and full support from every part of the public, and certainly from the world of Torah as well.”
מתקפה חריפה במיוחד – מנהיג דגל התורה הרב לנדו על הציבור הדתי לאומי: “הם מסיתים לרצח, הם עושים מלחמות לא לשם הצלה – רק לשם כבוד המדינה” pic.twitter.com/WFCNnOnKvE
— דניאל גרובייס Daniel Grovais (@daniel_grovais) July 19, 2026
Degel Hatorah later responded to Netanyahu, warning him not to attack the spiritual leader.
“The words of the great Torah scholars are the holy of holies of the people of Israel, and we live by them,” Degel Hatorah stated. “Those who do not live the world of the Torah and do not understand the depth of their words, it is better not to rush to interpret them, and certainly not to attack them. Beware of their burning embers.”
Lando orders students not to cooperate with IDF
Earlier this month, Lando instructed haredi students to not cooperate with the IDF or respect any drafting orders.
Lando argued in his ruling that throughout Israel’s history, there was an understanding with the “army authorities” that yeshiva students would not be drafted, and ultra-Orthodox leadership cooperated with the authorities in order to regulate the exemption.
However, according to Lando, the current situation is that the High Court has “declared war against the world of Torah,” and since the IDF was subject to the High Court ruling, ultra-Orthodox men should no longer cooperate
