Finance Minister Smotrich Joins Netanyahu in Urging National Unity Ahead of Tisha B'Av

Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's special statement on the eve of Tisha B'Av calling for preserving Israeli unity during times of war and advocating for a unity government, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has echoed this call by sharing a personal story about unity beyond political divides. Smotrich recounted his friendship with former minister Yizhar Shai, highlighting their bond despite differing political views. He shared how on October 7, Smotrich's son, Staff Sergeant Yaron Uri Shai, heroically defended Kibbutz Kerem Shalom against a terrorist attack and was killed in battle. Before his son's surgery after being severely wounded in Lebanon, Smotrich reached out to Yizhar for spiritual support, who responded by reciting a chapter from Psalms and continued to provide comfort afterward.

Smotrich emphasized that despite their political disagreements, Yizhar is a significant partner in the shared project of the State of Israel. He reflected on the destruction of the Second Temple, attributing it to the breakdown of unity and the spread of baseless hatred among the people, which led to societal collapse. Smotrich noted that Jerusalem is called "the city that was joined together" and lamented how the loss of mutual responsibility and justice led to the Temple's destruction, a theme mourned on Tisha B'Av.

Concluding his message, Smotrich expressed hope that Israelis learn from history's pitfalls and overcome divisions. He praised the return of the Jewish people to Israel over the past century and the establishment of self-governance and statehood as unifying factors. He wished for healing of national rifts and a renewed collective spirit to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple, calling for the nation to be "as one man with one heart."