Yesh Atid party chairman MK Yair Lapid on motzei Shabbos leveled a harsh attack against the government regarding renewed efforts to pass an amended version of the draft law, a version acceptable to the chareidi parties. He is calling on the Prime Minister to announce that the use of unacceptable means will not be tolerated in passing a new draft law, as his party voted in favor of the original version, which was accepted by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott, stating he will not be a willing to back an amended version that veers from the original towards accommodating the chareidi parties.

Lapid said, “The Netanyahu government found a new way to give in to the chareidim, they promise to pay under the table every time there will be fiscal sanctions leveled against yeshivos for their bochrim who are draft dodgers. The money for the sanctions will be channeled from the government under the table”.

Lapid was responding to statements made last week by MK (Shas) David Amsellem, who serves as the chairman for the committee responsible for the draft law. Amsellem said, “There must be a version that clearly shows the sanctions for we need them towards showing this is not just a bluff, but on the other hand, [we have] to advance legitimately without any connection to the sanctions for this is what is required in actuality. How did Rabin say back in his time? ‘We fight terror as if there is no peace and we go towards peace as if there is no terror’. Regarding the so-called sanctions, with all due respect, we treat the clause as if there are no sanctions,” Amsellem added.

According to Lapid’s interpretation, Amsellem is calling for drafting a law that mentions ‘sanctions’ since it is required to pass it, but in actuality, it will nothing more than pulling the wool over the eyes of the tzibur as the sanction will not be enforced or the funds to pay the yeshivos fined will be transferred to them one way or another, under the table.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)