Rivlin: Don’t listen to those who radicalize the Right-Left discourse
“Our hearts are still crying out since Dvir Sorek was taken from us. We feel his absence in our hearts,” Rivlin said.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFPresident Reuven Rivlin visits the Yeshivat Machanaim in Migdal Oz, September 1, 2019(photo credit: Mark Neiman/GPO)
President Reuven Rivlin warned against incitement and the radicalization of the Right-Left discourse in Israeli society, as he spoke Sunday at Ohr Torah Stone’s Robert M. Beren Machanaim Hesder Yeshiva in Migdal Oz.“As the elections approach, when passions are raised and the discourse coarsens, I implore you not to believe the incitement and the personal attacks," Rivlin said. "Do not listen to the voices that are eager to radicalize the discourse, to the Right or to the Left. Take responsibility for our ‘unity’ because this ‘unity’ is our only guarantee of our strength and is the best guarantee for our safety.”He recalled Dvir Sorek, 18, a student at the school who was stabbed to death by Palestinians outside of Migdal Oz last month.“Our hearts are still crying out since Dvir Sorek was taken from us. We feel his absence in our hearts,” Rivlin said.He pointed him out to the students as an example of someone who had risen above the incitement around him. Sorek had been killed by terrorists not long after he purchased a book for his teacher by the left-wing author David Grossman."The radiance of Dvir’s personality captured the hearts of everyone: a yeshiva student about to enlist who buys David Grossman’s latest book for his rabbi," Rivlin said. "One of the finest young men of this good land, whose grandfather Rabbi Binyamin Herling was murdered by terrorists in Samaria, and who was active in bringing together Arab and Jewish youth in this area. A symbol of hope and faith and breadth of opinion.”
