Maariv’s Arik Bender in his column analyzes the matter of criminal sanctions in the new chareidi draft bill and the appointment of Netanyahu confidant MK Tzachi Hanegbi as chairman of the prestigious Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee.
The report surrounds the conflict that has been ongoing since November 2013 when Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was acquitted of all charges against him. That acquittal permitted Lieberman to return to his post as foreign minister, leaving his post as chairman of the Knesset committee.
For the prime minister it was a given that he would select Lieberman’s replacement from Likud, at least in his mind. In this case Mr. Netanyahu planned to appoint Tzachi Hanegbi but Yesh Atid leader Finance Minister Yair Lapid did not concur. Lapid wished to make the appointment, to place faction member MK Ofir Shelach in the post. Lapid is once again threatening with his political muscle, representing 19 coalition seats.
Bender posits that based on information from Knesset sources, the prime minister sold out the chareidim and agreed to criminal sanctions in the draft law – thereby giving Lapid what he needs. In return, Lapid has abandoned his demands to appoint Shelach as chairman of the committee. Maariv adds that this week Hanegbi has chaired his second consecutive committee meeting, lending additional credulity to the theory.
This also supports statements from MK Meir Porush, who announced the prime minister promised chareidim not to support criminal sanctions. Porush stated “The betrayal will never be forgotten”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
How is that a “dirty” deal. Both sides are agreeable with both sides of the bargain. It’s a “win win” situation for all parties to the deal.
Likud still feels that crushing the hareidim is in their interests, probably on the theory that after they get most hareidim into and out of the army, they will be inclined to support Likud rather than one of the hareidi parties. As long as Likud believes the ex-hareidim will be good nationalists, it has no incentive to compromise.
The betrayal will be forgotten as soon as the next election
Israel needs a political system like the USA.
Since Israelis vote for a party, the Charedi politicians have a job for life. They are incompetent. The charedi politicians are a disaster. They should’ve demanded a professional army from day 1.
The army doesn’t want the charedim. They need to work. Just like in the USA.