Addressing a Herzliya election event, Bayit HaYehudi leader Naftali Bennett apologized and issued yet another clarification. Bennett came under fire for stating if an order given in the IDF is immoral, or illegal, referring to pulling Jews from their homes; one does not have to fulfill that order. He later corrected himself, stating there is no room for insubordination in the IDF.

In Herzliya he stated he never should have made his original statement regarding illegal or immoral orders and as an officer of the rank of major in the reserves, such an action in unacceptable. He clarified further by stating he is a public official and serves as a model for some of the young to emulate and as such, there is no room for him to state a personal opinion, which is what he did.

Surprising some in the audience, Bennett added he is not ruling out sitting in a government headed by Labor leader MK Shelly Yacimovich, calling her an “honest person” who does err from time to time. Regarding a future Palestinian state he stressed he remains opposed to the so-called two state solution. He told the audience that in Gaza, Israel handed over 100% of the area to the PA (Palestinian Authority) and days after the move, the rocket fire into southern Israel began.

Number four on the party list, Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan, a former director-general of the Rabbinical Court system told Walla News he was adamantly opposed to same gender marriages. The rabbi explained that it is not just about what people wish, but if such unions take place it marks the end of the Jewish People since no children will be born. His remarks of course drew fire in the secular mainstream media for in Israel, the trend is to support to’eva in an effort to appear Western and modern. MK (Meretz) Nitzan Horowitz was among the outspoken critics of Rav Ben-Dahan, telling Israel Radio “Next they will tell us how to live, eat and dress”, rejecting any attempt to govern marriage as unacceptable.

In an official statement, Bayit HaYehudi explained that we must preserve the character of the Jewish state, and towards achieving this goal the state cannot recognize to’eva marriages. In addition, regarding matters of dispute among Israeli society, we will do our utmost to promote dialogue towards reaching and understanding and support a ‘live and let live’ hashkafa when possible. We will not tolerate the continued hate of one sector against another in Israeli society.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)