Bayit Yehudi leader Minister Naftali Bennet is credited with saving the Ohr Etzion military high school having fought a tenacious battle on the school’s behalf.

Former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon decided to close Ohr Etzion along with the military school in Haifa. Current Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced he was going to close Ohr Etzion, but would keep the Haifa school open. This led to allegations of being motivated by a desire to close the nation’s only religious military school while permitting the secular military school to remain open. Nevertheless, Lieberman remained firm in his decision to close the school.

Meetings were held involving Bennet and Rabbi Chaim Druckman Shlita, and Bennet has committed to find the budget required to keep the school open, hence removing the threat of closure from Ohr Etzion. Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Moshe Leon played a pivotal role in the efforts to reach a solution, working with Bennet to save the school. When asked to comment, Lieberman told the press he was pleased to have had the opportunity to be a shaliach to save the Bnei Akiva-affiliated school.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)