Interior Minister and Shas party leader Aryeh Deri on Tuesday morning 5 Adar-II spoke with Mordechai Lavi of Kol Chai Radio. Deri was asked to explain the situation regarding reports of an imminent coalition crisis surrounding the recent advancements of the Reform Movement. Following is a synopsis of the dialogue between the two.

Kol Chai:

1. Is it true the chareidi parties are threatening a coalition crisis?

2. I understand the Machane Tzioni party has been talking about entering the coalition and if the chareidim leave they may be replaced by Machane Tzioni?

3. Does this undermine your threat to bring down the coalition?

Deri:

No one is threatening and this is just the media hype. We have explained to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that we are simply insisting on abiding by the coalition agreements signed, which compel maintaining the religious status quo. That is what is going on here, nothing more.

One must remember the Reform have recorded numerous successes in the Supreme Court over the last 19 years and B’chasdei Hashem, we have managed to overturn some of these successes. However, the decision to allocate an egalitarian prayer area really amounted to nothing. This area known as the “Kotel HaDromi” or “Robinson’s Arch” began years ago, not by us. The former Minister of Religious Affairs [Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan] three years ago built a platform there.

However, the Reform continues efforts to undermine Orthodox Jewry and the Torah way of life. The bill initiated by Moshe Gafne is simply a way of responding to the latest High Court ruling towards maintaining the religious status quo.

Regarding the cabinet decision of the prayer area, we have simply placed the ball in the court of the Chief Rabbis of Israel to decide as it should be and there will be absolutely no change in the religious status quo without absolute approval from the Chief Rabbis and Gedolei Yisrael, and this is or should be clear to all.

It should be equally clear that the Reform have one goal, to destroy Yiddishkheit. One can visit any community of Reform Jews worldwide and one will not find a single mikve since this is not part of their lives. Ditto for the Kosel, for the Reform removed “ותחזינה עינינו בשובך לציון” from their prayer books, so clearly what is taking place here is about the destruction of Orthodoxy, nothing else. Does one believe they yearn for the Beis Hamikdash? They will oppose korbanos which they view as cruelty to animals and we must realize who they are, a tzibur with 80% assimilation. They do not need a mikve at all. Perhaps a sauna!

They have made significant influential gains in areas of Israel, including the media, IDF and cultural influence and this is indeed problematic. There is a growing influence and I believe PM Netanyahu has to face a great deal of pressure. One must realize that AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), the most influential pro-Israel lobby in the USA is 80% Reform and Bibi has to deal with this and remains under tremendous monetary and political pressure.

It should be clear to all there is no threat to anyone. We are simply explaining our red lines. Machane Tzioni is more than welcome to join the coalition without the chareidim leaving. I welcome such a move and call on them to do so towards expanding the coalition. I remain confident the current coalition will work out the problems to the satisfaction of all. After all, there are issues and coalition agreements and no one gets everything as they wish. We have to compromise on religious issues and the coalition has to realize there are red lines. This is how it works and I remain confident the current coalition will continue running the nation in the coming years

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)