Former Likud cabinet minister Gideon Saar was a guest speaker at the Hamodia-sponsored Economic Conference in Yerushalayim on Sunday, 19 Cheshvan.

Saar, who was seen as a likely replacement for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced he is taking a hiatus from political life and stepped down from his cabinet post and has yet to officially announce he return. However, there is speculation he will run in the next Knesset elections on an existing ticket or possibly launch a new party.

Saar told the forum “When I look at today’s chareidi politicians I see they serve all sectors and not just chareidim. Even the current generation of chareidi leadership in local government knows how to do things from a broad perspective and are oriented with a general Klall Yisrael approach”.

Saar added the chareidim are an integral part of the Israeli leadership and achdus does not compel one to give up that which differentiates the different streams. “Different is not a disadvantage and it is not something to be corrected. For each sector of Israeli society has its unique qualities. Unfortunately, the chareidi tzibur is the object of attacks against the lifestyle based on their beliefs”.

Speaking about Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, Saar added “I wish Health Minister Yaakov Litzman much success in his struggle for long-care health insurance – something that touches each of us personally. With all of the terms I have served I do not believe citizens of Israel recall who was the Minister of Health before Yaakov Litzman”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)