Opposition Leader Yair Lapid has strongly criticized Shas party leader Aryeh Deri after he seemed to imply that the study of Torah by yeshiva students is more crucial to the war effort than the actions of soldiers fighting on the frontlines.
Lapid remarked, “Aryeh Deri should look the thousands of IDF wounded and the bereaved families in the eye, and tell them that while they were wounded in battles to defend the homeland, while their children were killed, he is proud that he is promoting a [draft] evasion law which will ensure that ultra-Orthodox youth remain safe in yeshivas and will learn without interruption.”
Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman also joined in the criticism, tweeting that while Israel’s regular and reserve soldiers “are sacrificing their lives for the security of all of us in the north and south, the Israeli government continues with division and promotes an evasion law.”
In an interview with Shas’ official publication, HaDerech, Deri expressed his hope for legislation that would allow yeshiva students “to sit and study without interruption” and maintain their financial support without cuts.
He further explained, “You have to understand, if you look at the budget, each day of battle costs us more than the entire annual budget of the entire Torah world. We believe that every day of study prevents more days of battle.”
{Matzav.com Israel}