Ichud Leumi (National Union) leader Yaakov Katz (Ketzaleh) was on Radio Kol Chai on Monday night, responding to questions from listeners as he continues his effort to drum up votes for the party a week ahead of the general election. Following are excerpts of the questions and answers.
 
IS IT TRUE YOU GAVE A LETTER COMMITTING TO SUPPORT CHAREIDIM TO ADMORIM?
 
There is no such letter. I never gave anyone such a letter. I remain and have always remained loyal to Eretz Yisrael and Torah values. I do not give letters. I brought the P’nei Menachem to Bet El. He loved me and what we do. The Rebbe relied on me because he knew Ketzaleh and his love for Torah and Eretz Yisrael, as did Sadigura and Slonim. There was great cooperation in the past and I hope again in the future. 

WHO IS NUMBER THREE ON YOUR LIST? ARYEH ELDAD, WHO IS NOT SHOMER MITZVOS?
 
He is “b’seder” (okay) as I feel all of Klal Yisrael is b’seder. (Goes on to quote a gemara in Baba Basra of the one who went up and saw elyonim atop and tachtonim down below), adding, I do not wish to give grades regarding who betrayed Eretz Yisrael, who sold out at Oslo, Gush Katif for NIS 360 million and who sold shuls and so-forth. Let’s get away from this.
 
Eldad is a good Jew, who loves Eretz Yisrael and Toras Yisrael. I know he is shomer Shabbos. This is not relevant. Some of my best friends do not wear kippot and many of them fell for Eretz Yisrael, al Kiddush Hashem.

Michael Ben-Ari, on our list, is a wonderful person who may speak freely. He loves and supported Rav Kahane HY”D. It is known and Rav Kahane was a tzaddik. I was at his funeral, a Kadosh Yisrael, who was murdered al Kiddush Hashem. Rav Yehuda (Kook) stood for him, giving him honor for he was a great person.
 
Ben-Ari is ‘charif’ in his expression but loves Eretz Yisrael and Torah. We are not hiding his views and positions. His name appears in all campaign literature. We are as proud of him as other candidates. I respect him, Rav Kahane and all those who respect torah and Eretz Yisrael. I love the Belze Rebbe too. I was at his wedding before he was Rebbe. (Now speaking in Yiddish) I was there, I was 14 and he was 17 (back to Hebrew). I attach to the students of Rav Kahane who make the connection, Eretz Yisrael and Toras Yisrael.
 
I connect more to his philosophy but I do but regarding his views, each of us has our views.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS THE GROWING SHORTAGE OF HOUSING FOR YOUNG COUPLES?
 
I see addressing the housing shortage for the chareidi and dati leumi sector as a high priority. I was Ariel Sharon’s aide for a number of years when he was the old Arik Sharon and not during the past three years when Weisglass corrupted him.
 
We built 60,000 housing units and launched yishuvim. We built Elad and other areas too. With Hashem’s assistance, the bracha of rabbonim, we will use all our might to build. This is why you must vote “Tet” and permit us to be strong and have a voice in Knesset.
 
I was a major voice towards the establishment of Modi’in Illit, insisting we move ahead for all Jews in Yehuda and Shomron, including chareidim.

ITAMAR COHEN: WHAT ABOUT TORAH GARINIM THAT YOU FOUNDED AND ASSISTED? WHAT HAPPENED TO KEREN MORESHET? WHY DID IT GO BANKRUPT? WHY THE DEBTS OF NIS 100,000s AND WHAT EXACTLY OCCURRED?
 
I was a major player in their establishment and during the years, we raised NIS tens of millions. Keren Moreshet never went bust and it was or is not in debt and does not owe money. It did marvelous work and all the Torah garinim did great work.
 
(HOST) ONE MOMENT, YOU MEAN WHAT HE IS SAYING IS A LIE?
 
Yes indeed, it is baseless. Keren Moreshet did not make money disappear and it is not in debt to anyone. It is operating under a new framework and sits in Ashkelon, Akko, Dimona and other areas. There is no truth to what you are saying. It is operating in all areas of Eretz Yisrael. I was there with others.

(HOST) KETZALEH, IT’S NOT PROPER TO SAY SUCH THINGS ON THE AIR.
 
Keren Moreshet is alive and well and you simply do not know the facts and I do not know who you are but Baruch Hashem those who know how the Torah garinim was set up and established know the truth and before you fling mud in public, you should do your homework. You sound like a Shomer mitzvos and in order to avoid loshon hora and having to say more vidui on Yom Kippur, check your facts first before making accusations. Request slicha (forgiveness) and after the broadcast I will give you my number to request forgiveness.
 
Keren Moreshet today is operating with new people.
 
(HOST) THERE IS SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS IN YOUR RESPONSE!

There is nothing suspicious. There are new people running it.
 
(HOST) THEN WHY WAS IT CLOSED AND REOPENED?
 
There is nothing crooked going on. It is all operating as it should. There are people who were involved for many years and saw a need to create a new framework and did so.
 
HOW DO WE KNOW YOU WILL NOT BE LIKE OTHER RIGHT-WING PARTIES REGARDING GOVERNMENT CONCESSIONS?

To my sorrow, those who were the worst are parties that many frum people will vote for, parties who failed at the test in the past. We know Likud uprooted Yamit, Bibi Netanyahu gave away Chevron. Oslo was Shas assisting Labor and the Disengagement was Likud. Uprooting 10,000 Jews was Agudah and Likud.
 
We are people of principle, we remain “orange to the government” and hope to remain in and be watchdogs of Bibi Netanyahu to prevent repeat performances but only if we are in can we make such assurances. Others have not been loyal in the past. Shas was not loyal to Eretz Yisrael, as they supported Oslo. We do not forget 1,500 people were murdered as a result.
 
With Hashem’s help, we will not sit in any government that makes concessions. There is no one from Mafdal in our list. Uri Ariel broke away.
 
IF THEY BEGIN SPEAKING, PEACE TALKS, WILL YOU LEAVE?

We will not assist in giving away a grain of sand of Eretz Yisrael?
 
(HOST) LET ME SHARPEN THE QUESTION. NETANYAHU HEADS THE COALITION AND THE HEADLINE STATES HE ENTERS INTO TALKS. ARE YOU GOING TO LEAVE?
 
Netanyahu will have to call on us to recommend him to President Peres. Any negotiations on the handover of any piece of any land to the Arabs will compel to leave the government.
 
The Government of Israel also learned that as a result of the disengagement, rockets fell in southern Israel.

THAT MEANS ANY RIGHT-WING GOVERNMENT WILL FALL BECAUSE THEY WILL ALL HOLD TALKS.
 
Talks are okay, on sewage and other rights, not on giving away land. I am not dreaming, this can be a reality. The Arab sector has representative and their needs must be addressed.
 
(HOST) YOU ARE NOT TALKING REALITY
 
I am. Moshe Ya’alon said he is not speaking of two nations. Giving away land, no. Speaking to Arabs on handling their needs and lives, that is okay. I think we must give Arabs an acceptable life, their schools and meet their needs, nothing else.

WHAT IF TALKS ARE ONGOING. NEGOTIATIONS TO A FINAL STATUS, AREAS IN WHICH ARABS LIVE TO DAY, TO GIVE IT TO THEIR CONTROL.
 
Lieberman stated he is fine with this. I reiterate, we will not sit in any government that betrays its people, land and Torah as did the previous government.
 
(HOST) SO YOU WILL TAKE DOWN THE GOVERNMENT!
 
We will make sure the next government will not go there. If we are strong enough we can dream. I dream my entire life and we accomplish a great deal. Ya’alon stated the crime of Gush Katif will not be repeated.
 
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE PRIME MINISTER.

I hope to be a minister in the next government.
 
IT IS NOT REALISTIC TO SAY NETANYAHU WILL NOT HOLD TALKS. THERE ARE NO SUCH TALKS WITHOUT SPEAKING OF LAND CONCESSIONS. THE MOVEMENT YOU HEAR OF THIS ARE YOU GOING TO BREAK AWAY? IF SO, YOU WILL TAKE DOWN THE RIGHT-WING GOVERNMENT.
 
There were those who went along with Oslo and the disengagement. They were weak. Jews were killed and these are other people, not us. We, the IDF is inside Shechem, Ramallah and Chevron and the negotiations were wasted. We are back there.
 
We are back and as a result, Bibi fell. The disengagement, they too fell and we see today, Sharon and Livni. We saw thousands of rockets. G-d willing, if we are strong, together with Bibi Netanyahu, no talks will be held towards the give away of even a single grain of Eretz Yisrael.

IS THERE ROOM FOR RAV AVINER AND RABBANEI HAMOR IN NATIONAL UNION?
 
The fact people affiliated with HaMor are not on the list is not a factor of principle, but technical, the way it worked out. The next list I hope will include women. We invite everyone. I am a good friend of Rav Aviner and Rav Tzvi and I have a son-in-law learning in Har HaMor.
 
Among those who called on me to take the helm of the Ichud Leumi was Rav Mordechai Eliyahu Shlita and I have since met many rabbonim and I remain close to many rabbonim and willing to hear from them. I am sure they will all vote Ichud Leumi – after all, we all learned together in Merkaz HaRav. At the end, we are all one.
 
I assure you we love one another and the children of rabbonim of Ha HaMor learn by us in Bet El and we remain on unit.

MOST OF THE SUPPORTERS OF NU ARE LARGE FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO ASSIST US?
 
This is truly a challenge and we must work to return budgets that were cut by Bibi Netanyahu.
 
PERHAPS SEEK A BRACHA FROM RAV ELYASHIV AND OTHERS WHO MANY INCREASE THE ACHDUS AND BRING OTHER VOTERS TO YOU.
 
We love all the rabbonim. Arrange such a meeting for me and I will get down and crawl there for a bracha.
 
I AM CONNECTED AND WILL DO SO.

THERE IS A RUMOR YOU THREATENED COLLEAGUES WHO DO NOT VOTE NU?
 
Absolutely not, there is no truth to such statements whatsoever.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)