Shas and UTJ Leaders Lash Out at New Gov’t: The Jewish Character of State Is in Danger

The Shas and United Torah Judaism MKs and Ministers met Tuesday afternoon, in a meeting ahead of the swearing-in of the government this coming Sunday.

The leaders of the chareidi parties, Rabbi Aryeh Deri, Rabbi Moshe Gafni and Rabbi Yaakov Litzman, spoke out against the government, whose anti-chareidi intentions were revealed Monday night.

Shas chairman Rabbi Deri: “Something has fallen in Israel. The Jewish State is in danger. We are going to fulfill the dream of Meretz, Labor, the Reform and Lieberman.

“The government led by Bennett is going to destroy everything we have built here for 70 years: a Jewish state that allows us to live together. It will destroy the holy Shabbos and the Rabbinate,” he warned.

Chairman of United Torah Judaism, Rabbi Gafni lashed out: “A villainy has been committed in Israel. I have been in the Knesset for many years, and I do not remember such a document of defiance against Heaven.

“Naftali Bennett,” Rabbi Gafni said, “the man who claims to be wearing a kippah. The main thing is that he can appoint new rabbis. He is waiting for all of them to come to him with the knitted kippot to be the head of a religious council, rabbi or neighborhood rabbi.

“War! There will be nothing he can do, this evil man.”

At this point, Rabbi Gafni called on Yamina voters: “Boycott these people, so that you will not have a share and an estate with them. Exclude them from all of Israel in this matter.”

Minister Rabbi Litzman said: “What we see before our eyes is an extreme left-wing government that has lost its way, lost its values ​​and lost its conscience. The whole Jewish character of the country is in danger. Israel’s tradition, religious values ​​and the tenets of Judaism are thrown into the trash. Giyur, yeshivah students, the Torah world, Shabbos Kodesh, the Kosel, recognition of the Reform – everything here is broken into and falls into the hands of haters of religion Liberman, Bennett and Lapid.

“Chazal say that because a person has committed an offense and gotten used to it, it becomes habit for him,” Rabbi Litzman said, “The first time, when Bennett made an alliance with Lapid, he told me that he was wrong and it will not happen again. We believed him. Today we already see what value his promises and statements have. Not only do we not believe him anymore, but we understand that even last time it was planned and not a mistake. “