Rabbi Shmuel Eisenthal, the father of the late 14-year-old Yosef Eisenthal, who was run over by a bus and killed during an extremist demonstration in Jerusalem last week, said in an interview he gave today (Monday) to the Galei Tzahal radio station that if he had to choose whether his son would go into the army or die, he would choose to die.
""I was asked if the phrase 'we will die rather than enlist' still stands - honestly, I would rather he dies than go into the army," he said.
Later in the interview, the father intensified his words and made it clear that he was aware of their public significance. "I understand that this is difficult to digest, and I say this as a bereaved father," he said. "If they asked me if I had two options - for Yossi to go to the army or for him to die the way he did - my answer would be that I would prefer him to die.".
He claims that his position regarding the recruitment of yeshiva students did not change even after the disaster.
The father of the late Yosef Eisenthal in the Galatians: "If I had to choose whether he would go to the army or die the way he did, I would prefer him to die.". pic.twitter.com/zpLCIx6vro
— Zirat News (@ZiratNews) January 12, 2026
He also said in an interview: "We are believing Jews, we know that we have a father in heaven - he gave us a blow, like a father punishes his son for his own good - the Father in heaven has a goal, he expects us to change, to become better.".
He said that "I was not contacted by the police.".
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