In his address to a Dead Sea forum, Minister of the Economy Naftali Bennett explained there are some who are trying to take legitimate criticism pertaining to the future of Eretz Yisrael and turn it into a personal attack when there was no such thing. The mainstream media was quick to report the Bayit Yehudi party leader apologized to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, with the latter threatening to oust him from the cabinet if he does not.
Amid threatening statements from the Prime Minister’s Office warning Bennett to “apologize or else”, Bennett found himself under mounting pressure to become humble and apologize to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. However, he insists that his comments, harsh as they were, addressed the negotiations between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority) and in no way were they a personal assault against Mr. Netanyahu. He accuses the PM’s staff of placing a political spin on his comments and instead of addressing the context of his comments, they opted to return the ball to Bennett’s court demanding an apology, totally ignoring the context of his remarks.
Channel 2 News correspondent Amit Segal on Wednesday night, the eve of 29 Shevat 5774 reported on Twitter that if Bennett does not apologize, the prime minister will fire him, adding the deadline for that apology was10:00 AM Sunday morning, when the weekly cabinet meeting begins.
While the media is reporting that Bennett has capitulated with an apology, dati leumi sources explain that the minister did not apologize, rather he explained that if the prime minister took offense by his comments in any way, then he is sorrow but he in no way changes the meaning of his statements and the harsh criticism surrounding reports emerging from the ongoing negotiations with the PA.
Bennett adds “the battle of the land is not just on the land, but the Jewish character of the state. Campaigns such as the one to absorb illegals into the country or against bris milah are part of the battle on the Jewish character of the state…”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Ever since Bayit Yehudi set off the war on hareidim, the Israeli political landscape is changed. Since the hareidim will insist on ending conscription as the price of joining the government, they are now “out of the picture”. While hareidim don’t hold it to be a mitsva to rule the West Bank and East Jerusalem, they are very happy to support it in return for what does matter (exemption from conscription and support for yeshivos). Without hareidi support, it is impossible to form a Likud-led government without depending on left-wing anti-settlements parties.
In addition, much of Likud feels that the growing boycotts of Israel are a threat to their economic wellbeing, and while settlements are nice, so is foreign trade. The boycotts don’t threaten hareidim, but they do threated the Israeli elite, and Likud (since Begin)has been dominated by “elites”.
“While hareidim don’t hold it to be a mitsva to rule the West Bank and East Jerusalem,….”
Do you understand? Do they understand? …that “East Jerusalem” is referring to the Kotel and the Temple Mount? Even if Jews can’t go there and we can’t yet build the Holy Temple, it is a chillul Hashem every day that goyim run around on that sacred soil like it was a soccer field or a picnic grounds. For what are they praying three times a day? Are their prayers in vain? Do they G-d’s name in vain every time they pray for the land to be returned to us and for the Temple to be rebuilt?
I don’t believe this is true and I don’t believe you, commenter, know whereof you speak about “hareidim” who “don’t want to rule over” the Temple Mount and the Kotel HaMa’aravi.
Do you understand? Do they understand? ..that if the “West Bank and East Jerusalem” become Palestine, that the rest of the Israel is lost? indefensible?
Are you? Are they? …really ready to return to the mercy of the Europeans? of the Russians?
Btw the kosel is not part of the east Jerusalem what the Palestine demand its a part of the green border what the UN gave to Israel in 1948