What Kind of Rabbi Are You?

I think Ovadia Yosef's words speak for themselves so I won't even make explicit judgement.  It has been reported that Yosef, in his sermon this past Shabbat about upcoming peace talks, called for death for Palestinians.  Yosef, is the so-called "spiritual leader" of Israel's Shas party, a political party of mostly religiously observant Jews from Sephardic heritage.  Because Israel lacks American style separation of "church" and state, a demagogue (...and I said I wouldn't judge) like Yosef not only has the "bully pulpit" but direct political power through Knesset seats and government ministry control.

Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, reported on Yosef's sermon:

"Abu Mazen (Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas) and all these evil people should perish from this world," Rabbi Ovadia was quoted as saying during his weekly sermon at a synagogue near his Jerusalem home. "God should strike them with a plague, them and these Palestinians."  The Shas spiritual leader also called Palestinians "evil, bitter enemies of Israel" during his speech.

Israel's Interior Minister, Eli Yishai, is a member of the Shas Party.  His office is a key player in any decision about settlement activity and other issues that will be at the heart of any peace talks.

The U.S. State Department has publicly condemned Yosef's sermon.  The Israeli government has, so far, 'distanced' itself from the remarks but has not condemned them.  How would we react if a Palestinian Muslim cleric gave a Friday sermon that called for death to the Jews and Abbas refused to condemn the sermon? 

Ovadia Yosef

JR's note: I changed this posting on Sept. 1st to remove a line that insulted Yosef's appearance because, as Helene M. pointed out, it did not advance my argument.