Speaking with Kol Berama Radio on Monday morning 22 Adar, Bayit Yehudi party leader Naftali Bennet called on Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to back down and leave Bnei David alone. Lieberman has signaled he demands Rabbi Yigal Levinstein apologize and resign from the yeshiva or Bnei David will lose its accreditation. Lieberman was angered over an address given by Levinstein in which he spoke out strongly against women serving alongside men in combat units in the military.

Bennet told Kol Berama “Lieberman is acting like an elephant in a china shop and would do well learning from IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott – who works to unite rather than divide. Bennet suggested that Lieberman visit Bnei David and its memorial room where the fallen of the yeshiva are remembered “to see the significant contribution the yeshiva has made. Bnei David is the gem of the dati leumi community” he added, concluding “The authority to remove the yeshiva’s accreditation rests with me anyway, not with him so his threat is not relevant”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)