During a Yahadut Hatorah faction meeting held on Monday, disagreement developed between members regarding ‘Bituach Avreichim’, insurance for avreichim initiated by Deputy Finance Minister (Shas) Yitzchak Cohen.

Gafne, who heads the Knesset Finance Committee, fought for this for a number of years, but surprised his colleagues during the meeting when he attacked former Minister Naftali Bennet, who approved the program before he was dismissed from the cabinet. “It’s a gezeira like the draft” shouted Gafne, adding “What will happen tomorrow when an official will come and insist, they learn core subjects”.

However, members of the party from the chassidish Agudas Yisrael faction disagreed with Gafne, supporting the new insurance for avreichim. MK Yisrael Eichler told his colleagues, “The [Belzer] Rebbe heard about this and was most pleased. We have to make sure there is supervision. There must be an organized discussion about this. The Rebbe supported this”.

Another MK added that the Gerrer Rebbe was also supporting the initiative.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)