Smotrich: Goldknopf will not preach or threaten, there are achievements for the Haredim in the budget

March 3, 2025   

The chairman of the Religious Zionist Party, MK Bezalel Smotrich, today (Monday), at the beginning of his faction's meeting in the Knesset, supported Minister Orit Struck - after she suffered insults from opposition leader Yair Lapid. The Minister of Finance called on Orit Struck to stand by him - and said: "Yesterday we saw another ugly step in the campaign of demonization and silencing against opponents of the deal and the public that we represent. Yair Lapid made misogynistic, shameful and humiliating statements towards Minister Orit Struck. "Orit Struck is one of the smartest, most talented, most intelligent and successful people in Israeli politics, and this is probably what Yair Lapid, who is her absolute antithesis, is so afraid of - and when there are no tools to deal with Orit in a matter-of-fact manner, her values ​​and actions are going into the realms of low and ugly blackening and shaming." He emphasized: "I have no expectations from Lapid, but the shameful silence of all his partners in the opposition and the camp, the Knesset members, the women's organizations, exposes their hypocrisy as those who wave the flags of liberalism and pluralism, until it reaches the other camp." Smotrich called for the electricity and water to be cut off Gaza. "On Saturday night, we made a decision to stop the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as long as Hamas does not release our hostages, lay down its weapons in surrender and leave Gaza. This is a first step in the right direction that was taken thanks to the policy that we are leading in the government and the cabinet, and I can assure you that this is just the beginning - we are closing the gates of heaven and preparing to open the gates of hell." He promised: "The next stage will be to cut off electricity and water, and open the gates of hell on Gaza in a powerful, deadly and rapid attack that will lead to the occupation of the territory and the start of Trump's plan to encourage the immigration of Gaza residents. We have an opportunity to act with the backing of the US to bring a new military, political and economic spirit and lead the State of Israel to the realization of all the goals of the war." To a question from 'Israel Hayom' about Goldknopf's claim about a billion shekels for yeshiva that was not included in the budget base - he replied: "Goldknopf decided to resign because of the draft issue and now he wants to show that the Haredim have no achievements in the budget. The budget was good before the war and also has achievements for the Haredi public. Goldknopf will not preach to me and will not threaten the budget." Regarding Gafni, he said: "I suggested to him from day one that he include the Haredi coalition funds in the budget base - and he refused. He has been the chairman of the Finance Committee for 30 years - why didn't he do it?" The office of the chairman of the Finance Committee responded to Finance Minister Smotrich: "You don't have to be in the Knesset for many years to know where the solution is in the coalition funds, and Smotrich knows this very well that the right way to include something in the budget base is in the government and not by reservation in the committee. "We expect him in his role as Finance Minister to take care to eradicate this scourge called 'coalition funds' as he himself promised. It's in his hands.".