Israeli rabbi calls abortion 'murder'

The Committee for the Advancement of Women in Israel's parliamentor Knesset began discussing on January 12 a letter issued by the Chief Rabbinate's office to the rabbis of Israel, asking them to work to decrease the number of abortions conducted in Israel.

Chief Rabbi of Be'er Sheva and member of the Chief Rabbinical Council, Rabbi Yehuda Deri, raised the ire of Knesset members Orit Zuaretz of the Kadima party and Nitzan Horowitz of the Meretz party when he said, "There is nothing more important than encouraging births."

"Our duty is to raise awareness about the abortion issue, women need to be informed," said Rabbi Deri, "many women do not know that the effect of abortion is murder."

Rabbi Deri told the committee that the pamphlets and materials he spreads inform readers that "Jewish law equates abortion with murder," as the abortion is performed on a fetus, which is considered a living person.