Rabbi Ovadia slams US: We're not their slaves
In his weekly sermon Shas' spiritual leader protests US pressure on Israel
to halt settlement construction, says 'Messiah will throw them out'
Kobi Nahshoni YNET Published: 07.26.09, 16:31 / Israel Jewish Scene
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3752180,00.html

In his weekly sermon Saturday evening, Shas' spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia
Yosef slammed US President Barack Obama and other western leaders for
pressuring Israel to freeze construction in the West Bank and east
Jerusalem.

"'You can't build here, you can't build there' – it's as if we were their
slaves," the rabbi protested. "We are being ruled by slaves," he said,"
adding that, "Our messiah will come and throw them out."

Rabbi Ovadia also bemoaned the current reality in the Temple Mount, saying:
"Where is our temple? There are Arabs there!" He then promised that the
messiah "will throw all these evil ones out of here."

Rabbi Ovadia's sermon was mostly dedicated to the customs of the Fast of
Tisha B'Av, which will be marked on Thursday. He stressed that reading the
newspaper was forbidden on that day, because it was a distraction from the
day's mourning. The rabbi stated that taking a walk on Tisha B'Av is
prohibited as well.

Instead of studying Torah, which is also forbidden, Rabbi Ovadia recommended
to study mourning rituals or books on ethics.

However, he noted that in general, only by studying the Torah can the
arrival of the Messiah be brought closer.