Who is Dov Lando, the Israeli rabbi criticising Zionism?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Dov Lando, a 96-year-old senior ultra-Orthodox rabbi in Israel, has sparked controversy after video emerged of him sharply criticizing Zionism. Lando is described as the spiritual leader of Degel HaTorah, the Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox party that is part of the United Torah Judaism alliance, which itself sits in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. He leads a yeshiva in Bnei Brak and is seen as an influential figure in the Haredi community.

According to the report, Lando said Zionism brought “disasters” on the Jewish people, claimed Jews could have lived better without a state, and argued that life under international or Palestinian rule would have been preferable. He also criticized Religious Zionist soldiers and secular Israelis in remarks that drew swift condemnation from Israeli politicians across the opposition.

The comments come weeks before Israel’s legislative elections, scheduled for October 27, when disputes over military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews are a major political issue. Al Jazeera notes that the alignment of ultra-Orthodox parties could be decisive for the next government, making Lando’s position politically significant as Netanyahu seeks to keep his coalition intact.

The article adds broader context that criticism of Zionism from a prominent rabbi is especially sensitive in Israel because it touches on national identity, army service and the role of religion in public life. It remains unclear whether the uproar will change alliance calculations before the vote, but the dispute has intensified pressure on Netanyahu from both rivals and coalition partners.