Former MK Rabbi Chaim Amsellem once again speaks about negotiations he held prior to the elections to run together with Bayit Yehudi. Amsellem explains the plan never materialized because of the “Ashkenazi hegemony led by Naftali Bennett”. Amsellem feels the dati leumi community has not dealt fairly with the Sephardi community.

After being ousted from Shas, Amsellem formed the Am Shalem party and ran in the last elections under that ticket, but failed to earn sufficient votes to enter Knesset. Amsellem explains he felt the need to reach agreement to work with the dati leumi tzibur and he had reached agreement with the head of the NRP, Zevulun Orlev in cooperation with former Minister Aaron Abuchatzera as the latter saw the agreement between the two a closing of a circle and a return of the Sephardim to their natural home, Zionism, Torah, work and moderation.

Amsellem asks rhetorically “So why didn’t we run together, as if I was asking for too much. No such thing. It is not true. Simply stated after Naftali Bennett was elected and closed a deal with Tekuma, who simply ignored us and compelled us to run independently…when he wanted to meet three time it was one moment to the next. When we asked for a meeting it was not possible”.

“For secular Ayelet Shaked there was room but not for Amsellem who brings us to the Sephardim of the past. Simply not suitable and even after elections. A year ago I felt compelled to check the mater again and I am pained to say nothing has changed, only the view and the humiliation”. Eventually, Amsellem ran on his own and received 48,000 votes, one-and-a-half seats.

Regarding the relationship between the dati leumi community and Sephardim, Amsellem says “Ashkenazi chareidim dislike the Sephardim and the religious Zionists, their incarnation, dislike the Sephardim too”. Amsellem continues and says bottom line, nothing has changed and the hate continue against the Sephardim as does the discrimination.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)