Chareidi attorney Dov Halbertal is not pleased with Shas’ ethnic campaign, telling Kol Berama Radio’s Mordechai Lavi that the Sephardim seem to be forgetting “who advanced them and gave them a break.”

He was first asked to guestimate what the election campaign would look like today if Maran Rav Elyashiv was alive. “What is taking place today would not exist…The rav made the decision and that was it, not like today. This includes the chassidim, Agudas Yisrael and today, to some extent, there is no one in charge, אין דין ואין דיין.

Kol Berama:

Do you think there is some justification to the Netzach faction today?

Halbertal:

I do not wish to get into it. One thing is for sure is that today, there is not one person who leads everyone and that has resulted in the split. Perhaps this was expected and it is legitimate following the petira of the rav.

Today it is an entirely different political world without the rav and it is not a good situation.

YWN-ISRAEL

Asked who he would vote for between Degel Hatorah and Netzach, Halbertal explained it is not important, but preferred to highlight that without the greatness of Rav Elyashiv, who was an undisputed leader, we have a new situation in which some follow Rav Shteinman Shlita and other Rav Auerbach Shlita, and while they are both gedolim with different views, the political situation that has resulted in an unwelcome one.

He emphasized this current reality further highlights the gadlus of Rav Elyashiv and the fact that his word was final among all concerned.

Halbertal was quoted in the Yisrael Hayom newspaper, and confirmed the accuracy of the report in the chareidi radio interview, accusing Shas of creating the discrimination on its own to advance its agenda. Halbertal added Shas simply doesn’t get it and the party does not understand the meaning of discrimination. It does not exist today and that is the reality. There are things that demand one who has certain qualifications and this is not discrimination.

Halbertal:

Shas has 2.5 leaders. There is Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita, Gadol Hador and spiritual leader; Deri, and [Rav] Moshe [and his rebitzen] Yehudit are the half.

Shas favors building yishuvim, the days of Menachem Begin, the ‘Two Sides of the Jordan’ and that is Shas. This is the real Shas, which Deri does not represent… He sides with [Chaim] Ramon who prefers to sip coffee on 5th Avenue in NYC and Lieberman and that is not the true Shas which is sought after by its voters.

Bennett announces with us there are no Ashkenazim and Sephardim and that is what they wish to hear. Deri cries and tells his supporters you are downtrodden and victims of discrimination. They do not want to hear it.

YWN-ISRAEL:

In the 33 minute interview, Halbertal continues to attack Deri for his policies which he feels are not in line with a true Shas and its voting base.

Shas’ Yitzchak Sudri joined in, rejecting Halbertal’s assessment, admitting that while today the discrimination is far less, they must still “live the results of that discrimination”.

Halbertal:

Bottom line, who established the country, the air force and the nation? Who built the iPhones and microphones? It was not the Sephardim and that is fact. They arrived and they welcome what not a fitting one, which I admit to but they were accepted nonetheless and they were even advanced. Now, they prefer to spit in their faces instead of showing gratitude. Who established the air force and the media, the entire country? Instead of saying thank you they spit in our faces. It is mamosh a disgrace.

YWN-ISRAEL:

At this time the tones are elevated and Halbertal’s anger is evident in his voice. The interview, the quid pro quo between Halbertal and Sudri continues for another 15 minutes.

Kol Berama:

Attorney Halbertal, when I hear you, your words, I realize just how little I understand; how we cannot appreciate the discrimination they suffer. For you to get on the radio and begin saying ‘we gave them and built for them’ without any shame, without holding back, signals me that we just don’t get it and you have no understanding of what they feel.

Don’t tarnish your image as a straight and honest person. Discrimination exists and both you and I know it so don’t say it does not.

YWN-ISRAEL:

Halbertal concludes by explaining “it takes time” and in the Sephardi secular community there is no discrimination but this is not yet the case in the frum community. He feels that one cannot argue with historical fact, that Sephardim arrived without an education so they could not have built the state and now, they are catching up, but “it takes time”. He drew an analogy from the Ethiopian community today, saying “I cannot bring Ethiopians to Technion University and expect them to make it. It takes time.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)