To claim otherwise, even for the commendable purposes of healing and Jewish unity, would be a disservice. It would bring neither healing nor unity. For we would then fail to incorporate the lessons of these tragic events, and in the long run cause more harm than good. The Israeli political and religious right and their supporters abroad bear a greater burden of responsibility. Their hollow protestations notwithstanding, they tolerated and even encouraged vicious verbal assaults not only against the policies of Yitzhak Rabin but against his person as well.
Violent words lead to violent deeds.
The mainstream right cynically exploited the violent passions of the extreme right for political gain. The religious fanatics were often present at right-wing rallies, usually tolerated and almost never expelled. Day after day edicts handed down by some rabbinic authorities permitted, even demanded, the assassination of the prime minister. Leading rabbis urged Orthodox soldiers to disobey government orders in the event of an evacuation of settlements. In late summer the head of the General Security Service warned leaders of the opposition parties to refrain from contacts with extremist elements in the Orthodox community.