Litzman: Bennett, look me in the eye, how can you blatantly lie to us?

May 6, 2021   

The heads of the Haredi parties - Shas Chairman Minister Aryeh Deri, Minister Yaakov Litzman, and United Torah Judaism Chairman MK Moshe Gafni - appeared this evening (Thursday) at the Knesset building and, each in turn, made statements to the media. Dreaming of money falling from the sky? Don't miss: The safe opens tonight Free: How much money are you losing because you don't know what your rights are? What do you say about white chocolate with cookie crumbs? And what about a tasty snack? Minister Aryeh Deri He addressed the disaster in Meron at the beginning of his remarks: "This disaster must be investigated, it will be investigated, and we will of course cooperate with those who need to share and implement the conclusions." He then addressed the political blunder: "My friends, Litzman and Gafni, decided, after many conversations we had today, to issue a joint statement with our main message - we made every effort, we gave up our honor, we did not count who has more fingers so that we could form a right-wing government as we promised our voters and as the State of Israel needs, in order to preserve its Jewish identity, the Land of Israel, the State of Israel and the Torah of Israel. We did not seek seats, we did not ask for positions, we even agreed to give Bennett the primacy so that Yamina, which is part of the right, as it promised its voters, to form a right-wing government - could join." Deri revealed: "I sat with Bennett for long hours, lots of conversations. I was convinced that indeed, honestly, he wants a right-wing government. That's how I was convinced. That's why I did it. I say with certainty what I told him - if Naftali and Yamina had come with us, together with the right-wing bloc, 59 seats with absolute confidence, with God's help we would have reached 61 seats. All that was missing was his agreement. "Even though the agreement was complete, all that was needed was to announce that there was no other government. Then I am convinced that there would not have been elections, but a government of 61 and even larger would have been formed. Unfortunately, Naftali did not do that. Now the mandate has passed to Lapid and according to what you are reporting, there are negotiations between Yamina and Yesh Atid." Deri emphasized: "The majority of the members of this government are left-wing and it will be a left-wing government even if Bennett heads it for a while. He will be a right-winger, a leader of a left-wing government. Ministers, Knesset members, committee members, all will be left-wing. It is impossible to embellish the picture with all the rhetoric. Since we did not come here to worry about our position or out of fear of falling into the opposition, we came on behalf of the Haredi, Torah-oriented public in Israel, representing a large Haredi and Torah-oriented public, the world of Torah. We are very Haredi. "When we hear that Lieberman, the greatest persecutor of Haredi Judaism, of religion in general, he says this, does this, it was all his hate campaign - he is supposed to be the finance minister, and you know what his centrality is in the State of Israel. When Merz is led by Horowitz, Labor is led by Michaeli and others on their list, and Yesh Atid, they are actually the majority in this government - we are very Haredi. "We are very afraid of what will happen to the Jewish character of Israel, what the status quo will be, what values ​​we will raise our children and grandchildren with, what will happen to the settlement in Israel, with the magnificent Torah world we have built here. "Therefore, I personally, turn to you Naftali, as someone who has dedicated long hours and has more or less reached a closed agreement - you know I am right when I say that 59 is 61 and even more. It is not too late. There are 28 more days and then another 21 days." Deri insisted: "This will not lead to elections as you say, a right-wing government will only be formed the moment they know there is no place for a left-wing government, you must understand that. There is a lot of bad blood in the middle, but you know, we, the representatives of Haredi Judaism, are not in this game. Do not sever this line, do not cut this rope, do not create a wedge between Haredi Judaism and what you represent." Deri turned to Bennett: "This is not a unity government, but a left-wing government. Please, come to your senses, get stronger, it's not too late yet, come back to yourself. Naftali, please come to your senses, get stronger, it's not too late yet, come back to yourself." Chairman of United Torah Judaism, Moshe Gafni: "The Haredi public knows how to win elections and not be proud. We know how to lose and not be ashamed. But we don't tolerate being thought stupid, that we don't know what to do." Bennett sits, conducts negotiations and turns stone upon stone to establish an anti-religious left-wing government with Lapid. He and Shaked say, 'We turned stone upon stone to establish a government that is a right-wing government.' Why are you working on us? Why are you lying? [Gallery]

Photo: Jonathan Zindel, Flash90

""Suddenly the coalition with Meretz and Labor and Hope for Israel - you can finish everything in a few days, it wasn't an issue that came up for discussion, didn't you sit up all night? Where were you during those nights? Didn't you negotiate?" Gafni accused Bennett: "He already did this to us once with Ayelet Shaked, when they went with Lapid and we had to pick our wounds years later. There was an anti-Eretz Israel government, what did you do?! I'm addressing them, joining this call! This is going to be an anti-Eretz Israel government, they're not ashamed to call me leftist, I'm the most right-wing there is. I've never sat in a left-wing coalition, you gave me a moral about the Land of Israel. 'What will this government do? What will Horwitz and Zandberg do, what will Michaeli do? What will Yesh Atid do? I know Yesh Atid, will they protect the Land of Israel? I no longer speak and tell the spiritual people on the right, what about the anti-religion there?" Gafni continued: "We were partners for many years after what you did to us in 2013. We acted and did things together. If you think we don't have a full stomach for all the many years of partnership with the Likud - I can write a book about it, but we know what is important for the Torah of Israel, for the people of Israel and for the Land of Israel. Bennett and Shaked, what will you say on Judgment Day? There is probably something more important than the Land of Israel, and that is probably hatred for Netanyahu. Tell the truth, Bennett will come and say - 'I hate Bibi and he hates me'. We know this even without the recordings, but the Land of Israel and the Torah of Israel are more important," the minister Yaakov Litzman  He said in the joint statement: "Naftali Bennett, look me in the eye. Of all of you, I was the closest to you, after you turned to me when your 'brotherhood alliance' with Lapid fell apart. You asked for cooperation. I asked you: How do you come to me after what you did to us? You destroyed religion and tradition! You harmed our children and the Western Wall and everything sacred and precious!" You told me: 'I understood my mistake, I am leaving what was and embarking on a new path.' And what happened now? How dare you blatantly lie to us? "Naftali, you told me the most difficult things about Lapid. You said that he divided the people and that he was following a bad path. You promised and gave your word that this was a mistake, that you would not repeat it. On this basis, we shook hands and acted together. You are violating this in front of us, the ultra-Orthodox, and not just in front of your voters. "Let it be clear to all media outlets that all the briefings and reports about our conversations with Bennett, Saar, and Lapid are false. What is written today in Hamodia is a mistake and we will make it clear. There is no one who is authorized to talk to them and this is not happening. We will not support the Bennett and Lapid government in any way, but a right-wing government." Litzman emphasized: "The meaning of crowning Lieberman as treasurer and Lapid as prime minister is the severing of all ties with Haredi Judaism." Regarding the Meron disaster, the minister said: "The terrible disaster in Meron shocks us all. We consoled the dear families and saw their heartbreak. There is no veto on the type of examination and investigation. We demand the full application of the law to prevent cases of pikuach nefesh. This is our commitment to the families and the public.".