Smotrich Removes MK Moshe Solomon From Knesset Committees After Party Rift

The Religious Zionism faction announced on Wednesday that MK Moshe Solomon has been removed from all Knesset committees on which he served on its behalf, following a dispute over his vote against the faction’s position on the Basic Law on Torah study.

According to the faction’s statement, the faction meeting held on Monday discussed its position on a specific bill, and by the end a unanimous decision was reached to make support conditional on deleting the comparison between Torah scholars and military service members. The condition was presented to the coalition and approved by the Ministerial Committee on Legislation. The faction said Solomon was involved in the process and did not express opposition to the adopted position. Nevertheless, in the vote itself he chose to act against the faction’s position, without informing the faction leadership in advance of his intention.

The statement said this constituted a breach of trust and faction discipline, and that such conduct does not allow for proper faction work based on shared responsibility and internal coordination. As a result, Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich decided to remove MK Solomon from all the committees on which he served on behalf of the faction, and to make clear that representing the faction requires adherence to its positions and decisions.

Solomon responded, writing: "I have just been informed that the Religious Zionism faction and the faction chairman have decided to remove me from membership in all Knesset committees. I am hurt by the decision, I am part of the Religious Zionism movement and will remain part of it. In my view, and as I have said everywhere since the outbreak of the war, I represent the values of Religious Zionism and those who sent us. Of course, there are disagreements. Whether in the interpretation of a law, political conduct or public decisions. But I am sure that my friends in Religious Zionism also would not have wanted the law to come to a vote, and are certain that they represent our public. I am loyal to the faction and to joint decisions. But at the same time I am a public servant. I cannot do violence to my conscience. I cannot look into the eyes of the bereaved families from our public, the Religious Zionist public, and vote for a law that says there is no need to combine Torah and army. When, throughout the war, I accompanied dozens of students and graduates of hesder yeshivas, higher yeshivas and preparatory academies to burial, I promised myself that I would not lend a hand to such a moral and eternal injustice. If the price I have to pay is this, then this will be the price. I accept the decision of the party chairman, and I hope that I will be able to change the faction’s position in the future. 'Those who are insulted and do not insult in return, hear their disgrace and do not answer, act out of love and rejoice in suffering, of them the verse says, “But those who love Him shall be as the sun when it rises in its might”' (Shabbat 88a)."