Military Officials Urge Review of Rabbi Dov Lior’s Olive-Harvest Ruling

Military officials believe civilian authorities should examine whether Rabbi Dov Lior’s olive-harvest ruling raises suspicions of incitement or theft-related offenses, a security source said Friday. The source said the military feared the letter could encourage violence and intensify friction in Judea and Samaria. Lior’s ruling permitted Jews to harvest olives from Palestinian orchards. Rabbis in Gush Etzion had proposed supervised harvesting with the produce returned to its owners. The reported military position calls for civilian review, with police responsible because Lior is a civilian; no investigation or charges were announced.