During a session of the Knesset Special Committee for Distributive Justice and Social Equality chaired by MK (Likud) Miki Zohar, he addressed the housing shortage and the crisis faced by chareidim seeking housing in periphery areas.

The committee MKs explained the difference between the chareidi tzibur at large and members of the Peleg faction, which have been protesting in the streets. Zohar was addressing the problems faced by chareidim seeking to find housing in the periphery areas.

The comments were made after discussing the fear of some mayors after seeing the recent violent Peleg faction protests around Israel. The mayors fear that these people are representative of the chareidi tzibur and do not want them in their communities, as well as fearing a chareidi “takeover” and an attempt to change the character of their city.

It was explained to MK Zohar “the public does not know, but the chareidi public is not violent, and does not act in this manner. There is a small group that even the chareidi MKs disassociate from and condemn, that they are acting as they do.”

MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Uri Maklev said during the discussion that “the public needs to understand that even if there is someone who goes with some kind of clothing, it does not mean that it reflects the entire chareidi population.”

MK (Shas) Yoav Ben Tzur joined the party and said, “I suggest to those mayors who are afraid to go and ask the mayors who have brought chareidim in how they admire the community.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)