The Chairman of United Torah Judaism, Minister Yitzchok Goldknopf, addressed the issue of charedi enlistment in the army on Sunday evening, asserting that the IDF lacks genuine interest in integrating charedim.
“The charedim are in the forefront, yet they still fail to grasp why we emphasize our adherence to Torah. Without Torah, I wonder where we would be today,” he remarked during an event commemorating Bnei Brak’s centennial.
Expressing concern, he questioned, “Who will defend us? Why do we witness tweets like Chaim Ramon’s, claiming 4,000 charedim sought to enlist this year, yet 3,300 were rejected? If you don’t want or need us, why persist in undermining us?”
Responding to criticism regarding the timing of his celebratory event in Bnei Brak coinciding with funerals of fallen IDF soldiers, Goldknopf clarified that he refrained from personal family engagements to honor the fallen soldiers by speaking at the event.
“At this challenging time for the people of Israel, I wish to convey my condolences. The loss of the eight soldiers laid to rest yesterday brings sorrow to the entire nation,” he solemnly stated.
In response, MK Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) criticized Goldknopf on social media, writing, “At a time of national mourning for our fallen soldiers, one minister, disconnected from reality, finds cause for celebration. Goldknopf, the people of Israel truly do not need you.”
MK Vladimir Beliak (Yesh Atid) also condemned Goldknopf, labeling him as audacious for allocating substantial housing benefits to the charedi sector and celebrating while the nation mourns. He placed blame on Netanyahu and Likud members for compromising Jewish and democratic values to appease corrupt and anti-Zionist charedi interests.
{Matzav.com Israel}