Interior Committee chairman MK Yakov Asher of United Torah Judaism gave an interview to the Israeli Yated, addressing the escalating Draft Law crisis and what it could mean for both the chareidi community and the governing coalition.
Opening the discussion, Asher spoke of the comfort and assurance he receives from the guidance of gedolei Torah.
“Every time I visit the homes of Israel’s gedolei Torah, may they live long, there is not just the knowledge but the feeling that there is someone who takes responsibility for what happens, and that Israel is not widowed,” he shared.
Touching on the tension with the Religious Zionist party, Asher clarified the nature of their alliance.
“We never had an ideological, perspective-based covenant with our Religious Zionist brothers. Now there is a situation in which this sector has suffered very heavy losses, and we all feel their pain, our pain. Despite this, this difficult reality cannot blur even for one moment our viewpoint on how the Torah world should look.”
He then issued a warning to the Religious Zionist community, highlighting the broader political implications.
“Do not make a mistake. There is currently a political war and the chareidi community is a target for the wheel of incitement, but this wheel continues turning and will soon reach you, so long as the goal is to bring down the right-wing government.”
Speaking about the dynamic with the Likud party, Asher emphasized the longstanding values-driven connection between the chareidi and right-wing blocs.
“The partnership with the Right is a partnership based on tradition and values. If the partnership with the Likud breaks apart, it will not be because we are breaking the partnership. In the current situation, where there is no unity on the Left and there is no concrete offer, we will not leave because of an alternative on the Left, but because we cannot continue sitting in a coalition when a sword is held over the lomdei Torah.”
He concluded with a stark message about what might happen if the current government cannot safeguard Torah study.
“If we reach a situation where it becomes clear that we cannot protect the yeshiva students while we are in the current coalition, we will examine other options as well,” he said.
{Matzav.com Israel}