Yesh Atid Yair Lapid, who may soon become the alternative prime minister if he succeeds in establishing a unity government, reassured Chareidi journalists on Monday that the new government will not target the Chareidi community via budgetary cuts, Kikar H’Shabbat reported.
Speaking to reporters before a party meeting, Lapid said: “Even if the Chareidi parties aren’t in the government, one of the differences between this government – if it’s established – to the present one is that the problems in the Chareidi community will be addressed. Chareidim will be taken seriously and they’ll know that no one will treat them with contempt, not their community nor their mission.”
“These are things that we learn over the years, to recognize and respect differences. I think that the members of Shas and UTJ know that they’ll have an open door, even if they’re not in the government.”
Regarding the fear in the Chareidi community regarding budget “decrees,” with Avigdor Lieberman poised to control both the Finance Ministry and the Knesset’s Finance Committee, Lapid said: “I don’t know what ‘decrees’ are – Israel is in economic trouble in general, it’s not an issue of Chareidim or Chilonim but it’s because it’s the year after the pandemic and due to the unparalleled failed economic management.”
“It’s a problem for all citizens and we won’t drop it on the Chareidim,” Lapid promised.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
My guess is that Lapid needs to get over the final hurdle(s) to form a coalition and that this is more a statement to his potential future partners then it is to the Chareidi community. He is trying to assure them that this won’t be a radical, anti-religious government.
Alternatively, perhaps he is having trouble forming a goverment with them and wants somehow or other to bring the Chareidi parties on board.
Either way, the key question is WHY is Lapid saying this and why is he saying it NOW. The answer may not be what I wrote above, but clearly there is some political motivation for the comments and the timing of the comments.
“I don’t know what ‘decrees’ are – Israel is in economic trouble in general, it’s not an issue of Chareidim or Chilonim but it’s because it’s the year after the pandemic and due to the unparalleled failed economic management.”
BS
Everyone knows yeshiva funding will be cut, but college and liberal arts will stay the same or even increase
It would, of course, be far preferred, according to all opinions, if the frum parties didn’t need to spiritually dirty themselves to be (among those) responsible for all the heresy and idolatry that comes out of the Zionist parliament’s laws and actions.
So, if the secular parties there would leave alone the frum Jews under their rule, without needing the frum parties to advocate from within the government, that would certainly be preferred.
Hashem runs the world. A believing Jew
Obviously he’s trying to prevent the chareidim from cobbling together a government with Yamina, smotrich, etc without him or likud