Full coverage· Politics· Updated 16 Oct, 10:01

Incoming MK Compares Haredi Draft Status to Holocaust Restrictions

Elyakim Stark, the incoming representative for the Belz Hasidic dynasty on the Agudat Yisrael list, has sparked widespread outrage after comparing the situation of Haredi yeshiva students to the Holocaust. Speaking at a campaign rally in Beit Shemesh, Stark, who is slated to replace MK Yisrael Eichler in the Knesset, addressed the travel restrictions faced by yeshiva students who fear arrest for draft evasion if they attempt to travel abroad for matchmaking.

5 newsrooms · 3 languages · since 15 Oct, 23:36

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Incoming MK Compares Haredi Draft Status to Holocaust Restrictions — Illustration by baba

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What happened

01Designated MK Elyakim Stark compared the travel restrictions on Haredi yeshiva students to the Holocaust during a campaign rally in Beit Shemesh.
02Stark stated that the draft evasion travel bans make the Haredi situation close to what happened during the Holocaust.
03The 34-year-old Belz Hasidic representative asserted that in Israel it is more worthwhile to be a terrorist than to be Haredi.
04Stark criticized Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, coining the term "Sohlbergism" to describe a perceived trend of targeting the Haredi community.
05Outgoing Deputy Minister Yisrael Eichler suggested at the same rally that this might be the last election in which Haredim are allowed to vote.
06Politicians Avigdor Lieberman and Ofer Winter's Am Yisrael party strongly condemned Stark's remarks as a horror and a disgrace.
07Stark is slated to enter the Knesset as a representative for United Torah Judaism, replacing MK Yisrael Eichler.

During his speech, the 34-year-old Stark stated that the difficulties preventing these students from leaving the country are close to what happened during the Holocaust, specifically referencing restrictions on movement between borders. He also criticized the judicial system, coining the term "Sohlbergism" after Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, which he described as a trend of hitting the Haredim to appear more manly. Stark further asserted that in Israel, it is more worthwhile to be a terrorist and kill entire families than to be Haredi.

The event was also attended by outgoing Deputy Minister Yisrael Eichler, who added his own sharp remarks, speculating that this might be the last time Haredim are allowed to vote in elections. Stark's comments drew swift condemnation from political figures, with Avigdor Lieberman calling the statements horror and the Am Yisrael party, led by Ofer Winter, describing them as a disgrace while criticizing government silence.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated 16 Oct, 08:21

Latest report: Arutz Sheva. Read Arutz Sheva’s original