Israeli Justice Apologizes for Remarks on Haredi Phone Use

Justice Yitzhak Amit issued an apology on Thursday for comments he made regarding the use of kosher phones within the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community. The remarks, which suggested that many Haredi individuals possess both a kosher phone for show and a smartphone for actual use, had sparked significant controversy and led to formal complaints against him.

Amit stated that he regretted his choice of words and that he did not intend to offend the Haredi public. He acknowledged that, upon reviewing a recording of the discussion, he believed the statement should have been phrased differently due to the sensitive nature of the issue. "It would have been better if the sentence had been formulated and expressed differently, and I regret that the words hurt the feelings of the complainants or others in this regard," he said.

The controversy arose during a hearing concerning a petition against measures to expand the broadcast areas of regional radio stations. A key argument presented was the necessity of expanded broadcasts during emergencies to ensure that populations not using other communication methods could receive alerts and information.

During the hearing, Amit questioned the assumptions underlying this argument. He made the pointed remark, "Often, one who has a kosher phone in one pocket also has a phone to call in the second pocket. They say it's a very significant percentage of the Haredi population, who hold two phones. One kosher phone to show off, and one real phone, a smarter phone."