Defense Minister Benny Gantz addressed the chometz controversy that triggered the resignation of Yamina MK Idit Silman during a Blue and White party gathering on Monday evening.
“I miss the Chareidim in this government,” Gantz said. “One week without chometz in hospitals – nothing will happen. We in the army will work toward finding the appropriate balance between the Supreme Court [which ruled that banning chometz is illegal] and preserving mesorah.”
A recent B’Chadrei Chareidim article revealed that in light of the tense relationship between Gantz and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who have clashed on a number of occasions, Chareidi officials from the United Torah Judaism party held discussions with Gantz in recent months [prior to Silman’s retirement from the coaliton] on the establishment of a new government with Blue and White, the Likud and the Chareidi parties. The plan calls for Gantz to serve first as prime minister in a rotational agreement, followed by a Likud MK, perhaps even opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu.
Silman’s retirement from the coalition makes the scenario even more likely as the dissolution of the coalition, which now lacks a majority, is only a matter of time.
However, according to the report, the proposal was blocked by Likud members, who claimed they couldn’t allow Gantz to serve as prime minister as long as he is blocking construction in Yehuda and Shomron. In addition, the Likud wants to make changes in the legal system which wouldn’t be possible with Gantz in the government.
The talks, which were held prior to the death of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, z’tl, were carried out in consultation with HaRav Chaim, zt’l, and with the involvement of the Gadol HaDor’s grandson, Reb Yanky Kanievsky. Yanky kept in close contact with Gantz, who was the only minister in the Bennett government to visit HaRav Chaim’s home and was one of the last politicians to receive a bracha from the Gadol HaDor, z’tl.
In the wake of the political upheaval caused by Silman’s departure, the talks have taken on a new significance. Only time will tell if a new government will indeed be formed with the right-wing and Chareidi parties and Blue and White.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
It’s frightening – even a shaanda, as Dov would call it – that the only way a government majority could be formed was with the inclusion of Ra’am and to the exclusion of the Chareidim. Pretty sad state of affairs.
this sounds like propaganda. sure, Ganz “misses the charedim in the gov’t”.
I’m sure he “misses” the Chareidim in the government coalition like he “misses” his last root canal or colonoscopy. The religious parties had a singlular agenda and were constantly threatening whichever government they joined with mutiny unless they got their way on more NIS and subsidies for their mosdos. Otherwise, the really had no public policy agenda beyond let us do what we want, when we want and keep the money flowing.