The nation is preparing for Knesset elections and the parties are beginning their campaigns. For Avigdor Lieberman and his Yisrael Beitenu party, this means continuing and stepping up the anti-chareidi propaganda, the incitement against the entire frum tzibur in Eretz Yisrael.

While the incitement and collective hate campaign is despicable, what is worrisome is the fact the polls show Lieberman receiving 8-10 seats, which is representative of about 400,000 seats or more – signaling just how many Israelis are willing to back a party whose campaign rests in no small part and despising and delegitimizing an entire tzibur.

In his most recent diatribe, Liberman is alleging that a deal is being closed between the chareidim and the Blue & White party headed by MK Benny Gantz. Lieberman uses his Facebook page to get the message out, claiming that the chareidim and Blue & White are working towards establishing a coalition after the Knesset election.

Lieberman opines that the words of ‘hesped’ heard by chareidi lawmakers regarding Netanyahu on the day the Knesset was dissolved are clear; and the chareidim have shifted their loyalty to Blue & White, their new home after the election. Lieberman insists that there have been signs to support his opinion during recent months, as the heads of Blue & White have consistently done their utmost to protect MK Moshe Gafne, and backed him in his capacity as chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee when he passed funds to Shas and Yahadut Hatorah institutions despite audible objections from Yisrael Beitenu. Add to this the words of MK Yaakov Asher that Yahadut Hatorah can find a ‘suitable coalition partner’ in Gantz he points out, and that Shas Chairman Minister Aryeh Deri said on Kol Chai Radio that ‘Blue & White is ready to give him everything’.

He adds, “The clear evidence that the chareidi/Netanyahu bloc will dissolve and a new chareidi/Gantz bloc will be established is the statement made on Sunday by Blue & White by Yuval Karnei in Yediot Achronot – ‘We will not conduct an anti-chareidi campaign…We will negotiate with the chareidim during the campaign’.

“This is the very same party that promised its voters before the last election to establish a national unity secular coalition which will work against religious coercion and those who get it, get it”, Lieberman concluded.

On Sunday, a first anti-chareidi election video in Russian was released by Lieberman’s party, a video used in the last election as well, in which the message is a clear message of hate against chareidim.

In the video, Yisrael Beitenu MK Alex Kushnir explains, “Just think to yourself that there is an adult who is dependent on you. You provide food, drink and clothing and he does not work. He does not study, he does not serve in the IDF and literally, does not know anything other than this. He begins to demand rights and tells you how to live your life. This is what is occurring to each and every one of us”.

Kushnir becomes increasingly insolent: “Over one million representatives of the Orthodox kehilla are existing today at our expense. The nation subsidizes them on the expense of our tax funds, at the expense of our work. Enough!”

He concludes by promising voters a government without chareidim, with Lieberman joining in: “Only a strong Yisrael Beitenu can promise a government without the Orthodox. Netanyahu has once again acquiesced to the demands of Deri and Litzman. Gantz as well. Only we will stop the dictates of the religious. If not us, then what?”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)