The dati leumi Srugim website conducted a poll towards determining how its tzibur feels about MK Yoni Chetboun, who defied Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett by voting against the new draft law. Chetboun explained that for him, the draft bill represented a “cultural war” and a “vote against Torah” and therefore, he preferred to pay the consequences rather than vote in favor of the bill.
Srugim learned that 76% of the participants in the poll support Chetboun and feel he acted appropriately. 10% feel he erred since the draft law is a good thing and 9% feel he should not have defied coalition discipline with his defiant vote. An addition 5% stated that while they agree with Chetboun, he should not have violated coalition discipline.
In this past Shabbos’ BaSheva Newspaper, the largest dati leumi newspaper in the nation, a full page ad applauding Chetboun appeared. It was signed by Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu Shlita, Rabbi Nachum Neria Shlita and Rabbi Elyakim Levanon Shlita, adding “This is the beginning of something”, perhaps signaling a new dati leumi Torani party is on their agenda. The full page text also referred to Chetboun as a major in the IDF reserves and the recipient of the prestigious Chief of Staff Commendation for his heroic actions in the Second Lebanon War.
Srugim adds that Rabbi Eliyahu added that Chetboun represents an enormous tzibur and those voices may not be silenced. He praised the MK for his decision and added he does not believe Bayit Yehudi intended this as an action intended against the chareidi tzibur.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
1. Does this translate into Bennett being defeated for party leader, or a split into two parties?
2. The Dati Leumi camp has much to lose by having forced the hareidim to ally with the left wing parties which will occur if the Labor and Meretz parties decide they can oppose conscription and support the idea of protecting the rights of a hareidim as a minority group (both of which are ideas often supported by left wing parties elsewhere). With Hareidi support, Labor would have a serious chance of forming a left wing government, something that hasn’t happened since before the “revolution” of 1977.
3. A Left wing government would doom many of the West Bank settlements. Thus the Dati Leumi decision to conscript hareidim could end up leading to mass uprooting of predominantly Dati Leumi settlements in the West Bank.
Politics aside. I applaud Reb. Yoni Chetboun’s commitment to his personal beliefs. May Hashem give him continued strength to Mikadesh Shaim Shamayim.
Reb Yoni was Mikadesh Shem Shomayim Birabim with what he did! He will go down in History as someone who stood up for Kavod Hatorah at a time that it was under attack. He was moser nefesh mamesh, with all the wicked people that threaten him in the wicked Kenesset!
Mr. Bennett never represented the Frum ehrlicha Yungerlite & their families, from the DL community. Mr. Bennett represents the secular Mizrachi crowd. The problem now, is that, even if the Frum Torah community of the DL were to start their own party, they would need 4 seats to get in. Not sure that could happen. Would it be possible for them to join Degel Hatorah? Both would have to iron out some differences.
Reb Yoneh we know Yoneh Hanovi tried to run away so now you are correcting that action by standing up , you are taking the path of Mordechai Hatzadik ומרדכי לא יכרע ולא ישתחווה now you should continue with לך כנוס את כל היהודים
make all understand that klal yisroel stays for ever with the torah given by Hashem, the mordim מורדים come and go, governments and their laws come and go they all have no value the torah was is and will be forever חזק וברוך
Not getting involved :
1. Mathematically, Bayit Yehudi could probably split with both sides getting past the threshold. Going back to the days of the old Mafdal, the Dati Leumi camp has never neatly split on a frum-frei basis before.
2. A more likely scenario is that Bayit Yehudi will change leaders, or Bennett will change policies. Regardless of how many if not most Dati Leumi are uncomfortable with arresting yeshiva students, all will be terrified at the prospect of the hareidim support a government led by Labor including the Jewish left (many of whom are sympathetic to draft evaders) and the non-zionist Arab parties (who also don’t want to be drafted, and whose participation in the government will be “covered” by the fact the non-zionist hareidim are there as well). The last thing the Dati Leumi wants is a Labor led government that will gladly uproot settlements, which could be the result of Bennett’s anti-hareidi policy.