Religious Zionism Party Defends Record Amid Security Challenges, Calls for Internal Reform

Rabbi Shmuel Sasson acknowledges that several key issues important to the Religious Zionism movement still require attention, including appointing city rabbis, strengthening religious services, education, Jewish identity, and social matters. However, he emphasizes that the party's activities cannot be separated from the unprecedented security challenges Israel faced over the past four years. Rabbi Roee Amgar responds to criticism by highlighting the context of continuous warfare, noting that the party's leadership was heavily engaged in addressing national security threats, including conflicts with Gaza, Hezbollah, and Iran.

Amgar argues that while reforms and appointments in religious and educational sectors are necessary, they must be understood alongside the party's role in navigating Israel's complex security environment. He suggests that had the party prioritized internal reforms over security, Israel might have faced strategic setbacks. Looking forward, Amgar urges supporters not to abandon the party but to join and influence it from within to broaden its agenda, especially to represent mission-focused communities, northern and peripheral cities, and to advance religious services for all Israeli citizens.

He stresses that no other religious party currently centers these issues in its platform and calls for expanding the party's work now that major security challenges have subsided. Amgar concludes by invoking the Talmudic principle "the end of the matter is better than its beginning," signaling a readiness to move beyond crisis management toward comprehensive development. He is the head of the Torah nucleus Hadar, rabbi of the Eretz Haifa community, and a candidate on the Religious Zionism list.