A statement made this week by Labor party leader Yitzchak Herzog to journalist Ben Caspit has the right-wing political community abuzz. Caspit interviewed Herzog as the elections for 20th Knesset nears, asking a number of questions. Herzog, who may become the next prime minister, was asked if he would appoint an Arab MK such as Dr. Ahmed Tibi to the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee.
This committee deals with the nation’s most sensitive security and defense issues, as committee members are often briefed by the IDF chief of staff, as well as senior ministers and senior officials of the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) and other agencies.
Herzog was asked a number of times until he finally responded “I would not rule it out”.
Responses including the Bayit Yehudi party, which released a video documenting some of the anti-Israeli statements made by Tibi, who in the past was Yasser Arafat’s closest aide. The Yachad party stated the left-wing has lost sight and is willing to do anything to take power.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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The only way Herzog will become Prime Minister is if those very same right wingers continue to demand that hareidi yeshiva students be conscripted, and thrown in prison if they refuse. The Israeli uber-nationalists have to decide if the “War on the hareidim” is really worth it. If Likud is still offering mass arrests and seizing yeshivos’ funds, Shas and Yahadut ha-Torah will end up support Herzog’s coalition, which will include the Arabs, and will either end conscription or allow anyone with religious or moral objections to be exempt.