Noam Party Leader Criticizes Government's Failure on Jewish Identity

Avi Maoz, leader of the far-right Noam party, asserted that while the outgoing government achieved significant successes in security and settlement expansion during the recent war, it fundamentally failed in preserving Jewish identity within Israel. He criticized the state education system for remaining disconnected from the Torah and Jewish identity, and lamented the lack of parental choice regarding their children's education and curriculum content. Maoz also pointed to an increasing number of Arab teachers in Jewish education, discriminatory funding for national Torah schools, and the continued dominance of unelected civil servants over public representatives in shaping educational policy.

Maoz argued that despite establishing numerous settlements, the government did not prioritize integrating Jewish identity into the Israeli education system, suggesting this requires more courage than popular political moves. He accused the "deep state" of maintaining its power, with ministers acting as if they set policy while bureaucrats truly control it. He further criticized the judiciary for undermining the government and eroding the significance of public choice, pushing towards a "state of all its citizens" rather than a Jewish state.

He also voiced concerns about senior IDF command, stating many remain influenced by the "dangerous concepts" that led to the October 7th disaster, failing to grasp Israel's right to the land and the duty to fight for it. Maoz specifically condemned the IDF's ethical code, calling it a product of "extreme left-wing propagandists" with a distorted morality, disconnected from Jewish identity and the imperative to prioritize victory.

Maoz dismissed the significance of polls and media discussions in determining election outcomes, emphasizing that elections are decided at the ballot box based on values and national direction. He questioned the future vision of Israel, the upbringing of its children, the values guiding its soldiers, and the nature of its legal system, ultimately asking whether it will remain a Jewish state or become a "state of all its citizens."

He announced that the Noam party would run independently in the upcoming elections, driven by a moral obligation to alert the public and correct what he sees as deficiencies in the nation's Jewish identity. Maoz drew a parallel between his party's commitment and the failure of officials to sound alarms on the night of October 7th, suggesting that succumbing to fears about the electoral threshold would be a dereliction of duty.