Bayit Yehudi MK Betzalel Smotrich responded to accusations made during a Jerusalem kenos on Monday evening that the Bayit Yehudi party took funding from chareidi yeshivos for dati leumi yeshivos. He explained the yeshivos that “encourage” IDF service receive more money and that is why they received more, not because the grabbed any funding from the chareidim.

Speaking with the dati leumi Srugim website, Smotrich explained “I am pained but he [Gafne] is simply a liar, both regarding the previous administration and the current administration”.

Smotrich explains that while the Zionist yeshivos receive more because of their pro-IDF hashkafa, it states specifically in the coalition agreements that their extra funding cannot come at the expense of the chareidi yeshivos and stating otherwise is not the truth. He added “We would love for all talmidei yeshivos to receive NIS 1,200 but we are not capable of doing so for 120,000 talmidei yeshivos. Since unfortunately we have fewer talmidim, we are able to receive the extra funding”.

Smotrich adds that two months ago he approached Gafne, asking him to unite and work together to receive yeshiva funding on the same level as universities but he rejected the idea stating “there is no chance”.

Smotrich clarifies that on the surface it appears the Zionist yeshivos do indeed receive a large budget and one might argue the merits of this decision, but the reason is not because the money was taken from chareidi institutions. “The coalition agreements stipulate we receive more because we encourage IDF service but the additional funding may not come from chareidi yeshivos and the additional funding is our responsibility and this is exactly how it is”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)