Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, one of the greatest rabbis in the religious sector, and a former rabbi of the city of Ramat Gan, ruled in a new article in the Tachumin Institute's Tachumin magazine that a demonstration was prohibited in front of a public figure's home if it seriously harmed neighbors.
This comes against the background of the stormy demonstrations that have taken place in the past year in front of the house of MK Nir Orbach and MK Idit Silman, and earlier in front of the house of former ombudsman Avichai Mandelblit.
In a halachic article, Rabbi Ariel examines the right to demonstrate and its limitations, and rules that despite the right to protest and freedom of expression, there is usually no authority to trample on the individual rights of individuals, and therefore no demonstration should be held in front of a public figure.
According to him, there are alternative ways to demonstrate without harming neighbors, such as a demonstration in the government building or in places where there is no disruption to the routine of life.
Also, he said, a demonstration in residential areas can only be allowed if it is a quiet protest by individuals that is not noisy and does not interfere with normal life in the area.
Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, Photo: Arik Sultan
"The right to protest and freedom of expression are elementary basic rights in a democratic society, but they must take into account the elementary rights of other citizens, and therefore they must be limited in time and place," Rabbi Ariel clarifies in an article in the journal Tachumin.
"Despite their importance, it is not possible to block the passage in the public domain in the heart of an urban settlement, and disturb the peace of the locals for long hours and many days.
"Even those who believe that demonstrations can be held in residential areas need to regulate them," Rabbi Ariel adds.
"Every demonstration must be one-time and for a limited time. There is no justification for allowing repeated demonstrations, nor other demonstrations, in the same place often. Locals should also be allowed to live their routine lives to a reasonable extent. 'Make a profit between herds.' It is possible to establish a regulation that no further demonstration will be allowed in the same place within thirty days. The protester. "
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