Yisrael Beitenu party chairman, former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, has now initiated an effort to create a election bloc against the chareidim ahead of the election for 21st Knesset on April 9, 2019. Earlier this week, Lieberman released a hate video in which he compares chareidim to Hamas!

Lieberman is reportedly approaching the heads of the non-religious parties to advance his draft bill, which the chareidi parties would like to amend to better suit them. During his tenure as defense minister, Lieberman remained adamant in his refusal to entertain the slightest change in the bill, which was drafted and approved by former IDF Chief Gadi Eizenkott.

Lieberman is telling the party heads that if one looks, one sees in recent years, there has been a change in the religious status quo accompanied by incessant efforts by chareidim to impose a religious/chareidi lifestyle on the non-religious community, and it is time to block the chareidim. “As elected officials, we may not permit this to continue, and we must do what we can to alt it. Despite the difference in ideology between us on political and security matters, as well as social and economic policy, I believe that in the matter of religion and state we are more or less of the same position”.

Lieberman proposes: “I urge you to sign a joint covenant on religion and state in order to prevent the chareidi parties from exploiting our differences of opinion and to engage in matters of religion and state. No matter which coalition will arise, no matter who heads the coalition, the Zionist parties will commit themselves not to give up and not to deviate from the joint treaty, and not to allow for bargaining and dealing with matters of religion and state”.

Lieberman’s plan
Recruitment of bnei yeshivos – We demand that the draft of the yeshiva students be transferred immediately upon the formation of the next Knesset, in a version prepared by the heads of the defense establishment and passed by the Knesset without a change.

Essential work on Shabbos
We all love Shabbos, but the sanctity of life is above all. Even according to halacha, Pikuach Nefesh defies Shabbat. Therefore, according to this rule, vital work must be allowed on Shabbos as well.

Conversion
Until the early 1990s city rabbis were permitted to perform conversions. At the end of the 1990s, this authority was transferred to the conversion system under the Council of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. We demand the restoration of Resolution 2147. As we rely on city rabbis on matters of kashrus, kvura and marriage, we can rely on them for proper conversion.

Civil marriage
For many years we have been fighting to pass a law that recognizes civil marriage in Israel. However, due to the refusal of the chareidi parties, young men and women are forced to fly to Cyprus or Bulgaria in order to marry. This mode must stop.

Opening supermarkets on the Shabbos
We oppose any attempt or intervention by one or another minister to close supermarkets on Shabbos in places where the majority of the population is secular and / or in industrial and commercial areas that are far from residential neighborhoods.

Lieberman highlights he is and will remain opposed to opening businesses in Bnei Brak or Betar Illit as the reality in Rosh Pina is not the same as in the chareidi areas mentioned. He is calling for a total separation between the central government and matters of halacha. The same is true in Liberman’s vision regarding public transportation on Shabbos, which he feels is required based on the Haifa model, where there is limited service in appropriate areas, not in chareidi areas. This he insists can and should be decided by local government on an individual basis.

He feels the nation’s religious councils have been overrun by the political parties and calls for the establishment of a department for religious services in each municipality, another city service, to replace the religious councils. This unit would act as other municipal departments, such as culture and sport.

Lieberman calls on party leaders to enter into a dialogue on the matters published at least so agreement can be reached ahead of elections.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)