Lapid winks at Haredim: 'I have no intention of fighting,' but he'll anger them tomorrow

December 1, 2020   

Is this how Yair Lapid wants to build relationships of trust with the ultra-Orthodox factions? Last week, in an interview he gave to 'Kol Hai' radio, the opposition leader suggested that the Haredi representatives join him in a government he heads. Although the Haredi factions have been boycotting Lapid since the 'Brith Ha'Ahim' government issued more than 70 decrees on the Haredi public, and declared that they would not join the coalition of which he is a member, he is trying to present that he has changed direction. In the interview, Lapid said: "It is possible to form a government together that will deal only with Corona, I have gained political experience and I have no intentions of quarreling with anyone today." Against the backdrop of the series of laws that Blue and White intends to promote, laws that are considered a 'red sheet' for the Haredi parties, we asked: Will Lapid support these laws? This is a series of laws that could lead to the High Court's recognition of civil marriage and increase the recognition of LGBT rights. In addition, there is a concern that the Basic Equality Law will increase the judicial activism of the High Court, and allow judges Expand the cases in which Knesset legislation will be invalidated. A Yesh Atid-Telem spokesman tells Haredim 10: "Yesh Atid-Telem works for the citizens of Israel and not for politics. Therefore, as a general rule, we will support whatever is right for the State of Israel." "Of the laws in question, only the 'Equality Law' will be voted on tomorrow. This is a law that was also drafted by a Yesh Atid-Telem faction member, MK Ghadir Kamal Merih, and therefore it will also be voted on tomorrow (the laws have been attached). The law seeks to add the word equality to the Basic Law on Human Dignity. A law that does not harm a person - on the contrary. "Therefore, we expect the law to pass with the support of all factions in the house, regardless of the sector they represent." The center of the opposition and chairman of the Yesh Atid-Telem faction, MK Meir Cohen says: "Yesh Atid-Telem came to work. "We are the alternative to the government and as such, as a responsible opposition, we will vote in favor of any law that is good for the State of Israel, and certainly laws that our Knesset members submit.". Last night, the United Torah Judaism faction announced in a special statement that it is also demanding that the Likud make a greater effort against the anti-Haredi bills that Benny Gantz is trying to promote: “We expect that the Likud will help more actively to remove private bills that harm the soul from the Knesset agenda.” The Shas faction had previously responded to the Blue and White party’s intention to put the ”Basic Equality Law‘ up for a vote in the Knesset plenum on Wednesday: ’Minister Benny Gantz and Blue and White have decided to dissolve the government and go to elections. The attempt to promote bills that are intended to increase disputes and provoke division, in parallel with the dissolution of the Knesset, is intended solely to garner votes and convey severe political distress.“.