Finance Minister Smotrich Launches Unprecedented Attack on Haredi Sector
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich launched a severe attack on the Haredi public and its leaders, including Yeshiva head Rabbi Dov Landau. Smotrich defended his own ideology and criticized the Haredi community as "ungrateful" and "blind," highlighting economic measures he took to increase oversight of their institutions. He also stated that failing to pass a Haredi conscription law two years ago was a major political mistake.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich harshly criticized the Haredi public and its leaders, including Rabbi Dov Landau.
- Smotrich called the Haredi community "ungrateful to God" and "completely blind."
- He highlighted economic measures taken to increase oversight of Haredi institutions.
- Smotrich stated that failing to pass a Haredi conscription law two years ago was a political error.
- He defended the ideology of Religious Zionism as uniting Torah and life.
Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich has launched a sharp and unprecedented verbal assault on the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) public and its leaders. Speaking at election events, Smotrich directed harsh criticism at the Haredi community, specifically targeting Yeshiva head Rabbi Dov Landau and making severe accusations against the Torah world. When asked why he hadn't publicly responded to Rabbi Landau's past criticisms of Religious Zionism, Smotrich initially spoke of respect but quickly shifted to offensive remarks. He stated, "It pains me, and I pray to God to bring him back to repentance, but there is no need to respond." Smotrich firmly rejected the Haredi criticism, asserting his belief in the truth of Religious Zionism's approach, which he described as uniting Torah and life, and the sword and the pen.
Smotrich extended his attack to the broader Haredi public, boasting about economic measures he implemented as Finance Minister aimed at increasing oversight of Haredi institutions. These included disconnecting Haredi networks from a central system, appointing financial overseers, and requiring matriculation exams for Haredi educational networks. He controversially stated, "The Haredim are ungrateful to God. They are completely blind. I don't understand how one can be Haredi today."
Regarding the contentious issue of Haredi conscription, Smotrich acknowledged that failing to advance a conscription outline proposed two years ago was a significant political error. He argued that passing that law would have changed the reality on the ground, leading to thousands of Haredim in the army and gaining legitimacy from Haredi leadership for conscription, which would have then enabled a national government program for their enlistment. Smotrich concluded by claiming that despite criticism, "we have done many, many things" to advance the issue.
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