After Smotrich Punishes Him for Opposing Torah Study Law, MK Says, 'I Hope There Is No Racism'

Moshe Solomon was removed from Religious Zionism after voting against the Torah study law, against his faction’s position. "I hope there is no racism," he said in an interview with Israel Hayom, when asked why other Knesset members who went "further" were not given a similar punishment.

Knesset member Moshe Solomon, who was dismissed yesterday from the Religious Zionist Party after voting against the Basic Law on Torah study, contrary to his faction’s position, responded today, Thursday, to the punishment imposed on him by his party. In an interview with Bini Ashkenazi on Israel Hayom, he was asked why he alone received such a punishment, even though in the past there were other MKs in the party who went "further than him" and received no punishment, and whether it was racism. Solomon replied: "I hope and think not."

Asked whether he understands Smotrich, he said: "No, I think I voted for a value that our public expects of us. I understand the anger because I do see importance in factional discipline and coalition discipline, and that is how I acted in the past in matters that were less comfortable for me. I was willing to pay this price for the realization of our values, but again I expected the response to be different."

He also said in the interview that he received the dismissal notice by email, and learned only through the media that he had also been removed from all the committees. According to him, the move hurt him.