Three days after he received harsh criticism from all sides for his outrageous statement: This evening (Sunday), MK Yitzhak Goldknopf of Agudat Yisrael claims that his comments in the newspaper Makor Rishon were distorted.
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In a video published on his behalf, Goldknopf attempts to apologize - but also claims that his words were distorted and taken out of context, and clarifies that he was referring only to the Conscription Law and its implications - and not to bereaved families, as was claimed against him.
In his statement, he attacked the newspaper Makor Rishon, which "looted, pillaged, quarreled, wrote and caused suffering to the families of the martyrs. It also caused me a great injustice, but I am not the story here. The interview was only about the conscription law."
He further clarified: "I apologize to the bereaved families. Your sons are the most sacred. Your pain is the pain of all of us. I cry and grieve for every dead body. Every dead body is sacred, no matter what its origin. May God avenge their blood."
In an interview he gave to Akiva Weiss and published over the weekend in the newspaper 'Makor Rishon', Goldknopf said in response to a question about the attitude towards religious Zionism: "Their pain will be with them and our pain will be with us. Don't bring me your pain and pass it on to me. Let's decide that everyone has their own package."
One of the editors at the newspaper where I work, 44 years old and a father of five, is going into reserve next week until after the holidays, leaving home and everything. Do you understand the pain?" The former minister was asked.
Goldknopf: "I don't understand, I didn't decide he should leave. If this person decided this was his path and he wants to leave, then he leaves."
The interview by the former minister from the Gur court was condemned, including by former MK Yitzhak Pindros, who said on the B network: "I cannot accept these words, this thing. Not only me, I have been receiving calls since this morning from important rabbis and from people who are hurting."
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