Religious Leader Sparks Controversy

LONDON (Reuters) - Rabbi Shlomo Eizel, the popular host of the cable talk show "Kosher Nosh," caused a firestorm of international protest yesterday with his call for the kidnaping of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Rabbi Eizel made the controversial statement in the course of a discussion of conflicts between religion and politics, saying:

The British Labour Party is a big offender. They're all about political correctness, with no respect for tradition. And now they've outlawed fox hunting! I think we should kidnap Blair and not let him go until he agrees to repeal that stupid law. He's a danger to the youth of Britain.

Asked by Macher Chochem, a frequent guest on the show, what he would suggest if Blair still refused to repeal the ban, the Rabbi snorted: "I don't know. Maybe they should tickle the gonif with goose feathers until he agrees."

A spokesman for the Prime Minister reacted angrily:

What is the U.S. government going to do regarding this criminal statement? The ball is in the U.S. court. It is a huge hypocrisy to maintain this discourse against terrorism and at the same time, in the heart of that country, there are entirely terrorist statements like those.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack called Eizel's remarks "inappropriate," but stopped short of condemning them. "This is not the policy of the United States government," McCormack said. "We do not share his views."

Eizel is no stranger to controversy. Last month he was widely criticized for his apparent call upon his followers to pray that "activist" Supreme Court Justices become ill. "Everything they do is farshtunken" he is quoted as saying, "I say to these guys 'Se zol dir grihmen in boych!'"

The European Union was quick to issue a warning to the United States. Speaking from Brussels, the European Commissioner for Trade, Peter Mandelson, said:

The importation into the EU of goose feathers, whether for military or commercial purposes, would be a clear violation of 12 different regulations, and of three specific provisions of the draft European Constitution. We have taken a firm position to promote and encourage the French feather industry.

Asked by a reporter whether he stood by his remarks, Rabbi Eizel explained:

You bet I do! When I was a young man, my friends and I would often go down to the community center cruising for foxes. And I tell you, we always found some krassavitsehs. If our young men can no longer go fox hunting, how will they obey the Commandment to "be fruitful and multiply?" Now Blair says no fox hunting! He can kiss my toches!

Hat tip to Pat Robertson.