Thread by @nofilter_Il

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, a prominent rabbi was asked if Baruch Goldstein, a murderous terrorist who opened fire in the Cave of the Patriarchs, killed 29 & wounded 125 people, is a detestable murderer?
His response: Goldstein was wrong but he's a saint.
Full Context & Translation👇

Baruch Goldstein was a member of the Jewish Defense League founded by his acquittance Meir #Kahana which was classified by the FBI in 2001 as a right wing terrorist group.
He immigrated to #Israel in `83 and was third on the now outlawed Kach party in `84.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baruch_Go…

He studied medicine in the US & served as a physician in the #IDF. Later, he worked near Hebron (Al-Khalil) as an emergency doctor.
He refused to treat Arabs, even those serving in the IDF because he believed it was against Jewish Halacha laws to treat non-Jews even for payment.

On Feb 25, `94 which coincided with the Jewish festival of Purim & fell during the Muslim Ramadan Goldstein threw a grenade into the middle of a hall where 800 Palestinians were praying & opened fire.
The result: 29 dead & 125 wounded, among them children.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_of_t…

The results of the massacre were catastrophic.
In the first 6 days following the massacre, 21 Palestinians were killed by live rounds from the #IDF during confrontations.
#Hamas changed his policy not to target civilians inside #Israel.
Two suicide bombers killed 14 & wounded 85.

On the 3rd of March `09 Aviner was asked:
"Since Purim is around the corner, I was wondering whether the shooting by Dr. Baruch Goldstein of Blessed Memory in The Cave of the Patriarchs on Feb 25, 1994 can be seen as a sort of "reversal" >>>

similar to the Book of Esther where the Jews kill their enemies (since at the time many innocent Jews were murdered by Arab terrorists), or maybe his actions were a detestable murder?"

Aviner: "It is clear that Baruch Goldstein didn't act from personal revenge motives," clarifies Aviner, "especially because of that he should have asked for permission from the nation, because afterwards the whole nation will have to carry the burden of this responsibility." >>>

Aviner: "If he would have asked us we would have told him not to do it. This is the wrong way to act. But he did not ask us. And he was killed. He knew that what he was doing is dangerous, so it is obvious that we say a Saint of Blessed Memory, a Martyr of Blessed Memory." >>>

Aviner: "But his act was the wrong act."

Original News Report by @ynetnews 👇
ynet.co.il/articles/0,734…