Right-Wing Rabbi Tau Backs Coalition Supported by Ra’am

Rabbi Tzvi Yisrael Tau, the spiritual leader of the Noam Party, said Sunday that he would support the formation of a minority right-wing government backed externally by the Ra’am Party.

His comments initially appeared to open the possibility for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to form such a coalition, but MK Betzalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionist Party of which Noam is a constituent, shot down the idea and said he would never support it.

Rabbi Tau, Rosh Yeshivah of the Har Hamor religious-Zionist yeshivah, wrote in his letter that a government formed by the opposition bloc, which he termed “the radical, progressive left,” would annul the Nation-State law, declare the State of Israel to be a state of all its citizens instead of a Jewish state, harm the IDF, and advance post-modern ideas and separate religion and state.

“Relying on non-Jews to form a government… is a great chillul Hashem,” wrote Rabbi Tau. “However, lending a hand to… abolishing the State of Israel as a Jewish state and all that this entails is a terrible chillul Hashem.”

In his letter, Rabbi Tau also wrote that “given the terrible shock caused by the disaster that stuck the festivities at Mount Meron, we need to purify our hearts and remove the terrible infliction of hatred and propaganda that threatens the resilience of our country, the stability of the government, and promote the prosperity of the country.”

The Religious Zionist Party swiftly issued a statement against the idea, and said its stance vigorously opposing a government backed by “the supporters of terrorism,” as it labels the Arab political parties, would not change.

“Anyone who thinks about forming such a government  that would endanger the Jewish state will bear the mark of Cain until the end of his life,” said the party in a statement.

“MK Betzalel Smotrich clarified the matter last night to the Prime Minister at their meeting and even made it clear to him that he will use all the tools at his disposal to ensure that such a government is not formed in any circumstance, on either side of the political map.

“It is very unfortunate that Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has declared above all that he will in no way form a government with supporters of terrorism, is working tirelessly to form just such a government.”