Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has decided to open a criminal investigation against Safed Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, for incitement to racism

The decision to investigate Eliyahu came after he was quoted making several anti-Arab comments in interviews with the media. Eliyahu was one of 18 rabbis who signed a petition in October 2010, urging Jews to refrain from renting or selling apartments to non-Jews – a move seen as being directed against Arab students enrolled in Safed’s college. Some 50 rabbis eventually endorsed the so-called "rabbis' letter." The criminal investigation opened by Weinstein will not focus on the "rabbis' letter," however, but rather on personal remarks made by Eliyahu. After a series of complaints were lodged with the Attorney General's office regarding Eliyahu's anti-Arab remarks, Weinstein decided to investigate whether any criminal intention could be found in the remarks. In 2010, Eliyahu slammed those who accused him of being a racist, saying a survey showed that 74% of the Israeli public supports the letter. He added that he believed the letter had backing from God.