A heated confrontation erupted during a meeting of the Knesset Finance Committee on Tuesday, when opposition lawmakers criticized the committee for convening during the election period, arguing that the transfer of funds to the Chareidi community amounted to “election bribery.”
The meeting relied on a legal provision, which Yesh Atid MK Mickey Levy claimed ‘hasn’t been used for 20 years.” In response, Shas MK Yinon Azoulay produced Knesset committee records that showed the opposition had relied on the very same provision just one week before the last election during the Bennett-Lapid government, when Levy himself served as Knesset Speaker. During that meeting, coalition funds were approved for the Yesh Atid, Yamina, and Yisrael Beiteinu parties.
Azoulay said: “So what changed? Not the law, not the provision, and not the procedure—only the identity of the government. What was considered completely legitimate when the Bennett-Lapid government did it has suddenly become ‘election bribery’ when the current government acts in the same way. That’s political hypocrisy.”
The revelation did not stop leftist lawmakers from petitioning the High Court, which froze the fund transfers on Wednesday.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
3 Responses
Israel leftists have always (for the last 150 years, since the foundings of zionism) always prioritized abolishing frumkeit. It’s even in their national anthem. How is this hypocricy? They are open about what they want, and act accordingly.
Logic isn’t going to get us anywhere here. People above the law can do what they want
excellent response, but there is no end to petty fights when politicians distribute OPM – “other people’s money”. How about trying to limit handouts and let people support what the value thru their communities? Are there any politicians in Israel who want to do that or still only socialists there?