Ex-chief rabbi urges troops to defy orders

JERUSALEM, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- A former chief rabbi of Israeli has urged Israeli solders to disobey orders to evacuate settlements, the Ha'aretz newspaper said this weekend.

Rabbi Avraham Shapira has called on Israel Defense Forces soldiers and members of the Border Police to disobey orders to evacuate settlements and to inform their commanders now of their intention to do so., Ha'aretz said.

Shapira heads the Merkaz Harav yeshiva or Jewish religious seminary in Jerusalem and was formerly ONE of the spiritual leaders of the National Religious Party. His comments were reported in the religious weekly Besheva, which is affiliated with the Arutz Sheva, or Chanel Seven extreme religious right media outlet, Ha'aretz said.