Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is expected to publicly distance himself from the chareidi parties as Israel moves closer to new elections, while carefully avoiding actions that could fracture the right-wing bloc, according to a report Monday by Kan News.
Senior Likud officials told the broadcaster that Netanyahu plans to increase the public separation from the chareidi factions as the election campaign intensifies.
“As we get closer to the elections and begin campaigning, Netanyahu plans to deepen the separation from the chareidim and try to publicly distance himself from them,” one senior Likud official was quoted as saying.
Another senior official said the prime minister “will have to walk a fine line so as not to directly attack the chareidim and damage the bloc.”
The report comes amid a political storm sparked by comments attributed earlier Monday to HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau regarding the military draft issue and the broader relationship with religious Zionists.
Without mentioning Rav Landau by name, Netanyahu issued a statement expressing full support for IDF soldiers, saying they “deserve deep appreciation, gratitude, and full backing from every part of the public, including the Torah world.” He added that religious, secular, and chareidi soldiers all risk their lives to protect the State of Israel.
Netanyahu adviser Yonatan Urich also weighed in, writing: “Better late than never: Do not speak disparagingly about IDF soldiers. I repeat and emphasize: Do not speak disparagingly about IDF soldiers. Not maybe, not indirectly, not because of something else, not at all.”
After associates of Rav Landau clarified that the Rosh Yeshiva’s remarks referred to a theoretical halachic discussion about wars fought for national honor rather than survival, and not to religious Zionist soldiers themselves, Urich sharply rejected the explanation.
“That is the most twisted clarification I have ever seen,” Urich wrote. “Here’s a suggestion: The activists should keep quiet for 99 days so we can win the elections.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
9 Responses
Distancing himself until he comes and begs them to join his coalition? What a dumb strategy we know he needs them
If Urich’s reported comments are true and accurate, alliance between Chareidi parties and Likud should not be a given. If an arab member said such a comment, we would say, “Fine, what could you expect from an arab!” How could any Chareidi associate with a party whose mouthpiece talks so disparagingly about עוסקים התורה and our חכמים!
אני מוחה על כבוד התורה!
Netanyahu may also be finding himself distanced from the Religious in עולם-הבא
The chareidi parties have been doing plenty of distancing from Netanyahu themselves. They should not take for granted that he will WANT them in the next coalition
Yaapchik – It is by no means a given. What almost certainly is a given is the inability of any party to form a coalition without either the Chareidim or the Arabs.
147 – not just him but all the commenters here that celebrate the hardships and sanctions against bnei torah. Imagine that, celebrating Hard Times of fellow Jews that spend all day learning Torah, and all because of the directive of the Supreme Court and the corrupt Attorney General. Imagine what hell there will be to pay for taking such a wrong side
Unless the “Chareidi” parties are willing to go back to being pro-peace, anti-zionists (as they were a century ago), they have no option but to ally with Likud, even though Likud has no incentive to offer them any concessions other than agreeing not to actively persecute them. — If the left wing “zionist” parties were willing to give up their dream of an Eretz Yisrael “free” from Torah, there would be a possibility of the Chareidim changing sides, but the unfortunate truth is that secular Israelis regard the Chareidim as an existential threat, as opposed to the Palestinian terrorists whom they see as a mild nuisance. Likud understands this.
@rebEmes
There are many religious people serving in the army and there is now a Chashmonaim brigade. No excuses. Stop acting like a victim.