Speaking to the public in a Haaretz chat session, MK Yaakov Litzman explained that he does not rule out serving in the same coalition with the left-wing Meretz party. He explained that back in 1999 they were in the government of then PM Ehud Barak together with Meretz and Meretz MK Yossi Sarid served as minister of education.
He added that despite his willingness to sit with other parties, regarding the Yesh Atid party there will not be any discussion as he disqualifies Lapid’s party; stating emphatically he will not enter a coalition that includes Yesh Atid.
Litzman told the chareidi media if Lapid wants to do teshuvah, he must return to the same place, explaining Lapid must serve in the government a few years and vote in support of the Torah world and yeshivos. Then he explains there may be something to discuss with him.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
The Hareidim have no choice but to insist on cancellation of conscription of yeshiva students, whether by deciding that learning in yeshiva is a form of alternative service, or allowing all Israelis the right to exmpt themselves from the army on religious or conscientious grounds, or by switching to a volunteer/professional army. The alternative is that there will be mass roundups of non-zionist yeshiva students and closing the non-zionist yeshivos.
It doesn’t matter who else is in the government, or what incentives are offered to join. For the hareidim who are trying to at least tolerate the zionists (including all sitting in the Kenesset), this is an existential issue — if mass arrests begin, they will have no choice but to adopt a Eidis hareidi (Satmar/Neturei Karta) type position of open opposition to the medinah.
It all comes down to the $. And Lapid was the best thing for the Haredi public (not the politicians).
Why doesn’t MK Litzman tell us on which issues they agree with Meretz.
It upsets me to say, but this selling of their souls is the reason I can’t vote for them.
If Meretz will oppose conscription, that’s enough. Money is irrelevant when the issue is whether yeshiva students will be locked up in prison camps, and non-zionist yeshivos will be closed down.
If the Religious Zionists insist on closing down yeshivos, then the best hope for Torah in Eretz Yisrael is a Socialist coaltion supported by Arabs and Hareidim. It’s up to the nationalists to decide: is the war they started against Torah more important than settlements.
I think it’s worth understanding Rabbi Litzman’s comments in terms of the upcoming negotiations that will most certainly take place after the elections. UTJ is essentially letting Netanyahu know that it is not a given that UTJ (or Shas, for that matter) will go with him.
There are two reasons for this.
One, like it or not, negotiating is part of the coalition building process in Israel and it is a good negotiating tactic to let either side know that they cannot be taken for granted (it strengthen’s their bargaining position). This is not unique to UTJ — Moshe Kahloun and Yesh Atid are taking the same tact. The fact that they can go either way gives them great leverage in the negotiations for those issues that matter most to them.
Secondly, it’s a (not so) subtle message to Bibi that he should treat the Chareidim better in the future. The Chareidim got hit hard in the last government and Litzman is essentially letting Bibi and the right-wing know that they should not assume that they are in their pocket no matter what. They have been loyal partners in the past (indeed, if it wasn’t for the Chareidim Bibi wouldn’t have gotten elected in 96) and they expect loyalty in return.