In an election kenos held in Betar Illit on Wednesday night the eve of 16 Shevat, MK Meir Porush addressed the tzibur at large along with the city’s mayor, Meir Rubinstein and city leaders. The event was hosted in the Breslov Beis Medrash.
Porush reminded participants of the importance of having strong chareidi representation in the next government after being in opposition for over two years. He spoke of the battle concerning the Zero VAT Bill and the difficult gezeiros of the outgoing administration.
Porush questioned how a government in Israel can wage war against lomdei torah, which he compared to 100 years ago when Jews had to flee army induction under communist regimes. He spoke of the “stain” to bnei torah who will have criminal records as a result of the new situation, asking how long it will take until all chareidim are labeled criminals and become citizens without the right to vote as there is an effort among the right-wing to eliminate the rights of Arabs to vote if they do not pledge their allegiance to the state. Porush warns “We may not take this threat lightly”.
Porush also addressed the cuts in funding for avreichim, who to date received supplementary income but today are without assistance following 35 years of an arrangement that was canceled by the outgoing administration.
In conclusion he added that he does not know what the gedolim will recommend following elections regarding entering a coalition with Likud headed by Binyamin Netanyahu.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
It would be stupid for him to say now that he will only join a likud government then likud won’t offer the charedim as much that they should join them
If Netanyahu (or anyone else) offers to stop arresting yeshiva students for refusing to serve in the army, they’ll join the government. Even if it is Herzog in alliance with communists and the Palestinians. Conscription is an “existential” issue for the hareidi politicians. If the government is rounding up yeshiva students, the hareidim can’t be anything but opposition, and in fact the moderate (meaning they support the medinah and sit in the Keneset) hareidim will be discredited and the Edos hareidis will become the dominant hareidi group. And knowing that, the coaltion can refuse special financial or patronage benefits as long as they end penal sanctions for draft refusals.
The heading “We May Not Enter a Coalition with Netanyahu” seems to be a stated opinion, that we are not permitted to do so. As the article concludes, however, he actually said that he doesn’t know whether or not we will be permitted to do so. Please edit the heading accordingly. Thank you.
“… 100 years ago when Jews had to flee army induction under communist regimes.”
There were no communist regimes 100 years ago.
Akuperma: I find it near impossible that the Arab party be made part of a coalition. Also, the redline, believe it or not is not criminal sanctions associated with the “burden sharing.” The redline is the bottom line. If bibi or boogie promise extended support to the poor and to yeshivos they are guaranteed shas and probably utj support notwithstanding the hype concerning burden sharing. Yishai is probably the only religious party to hold criminal sanctions as a redline.
The last paragraph says it all. He does not know what the gedolim will say. So let’s stop treating this campaign speech as daas Torah.