Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich participated today (Monday) in the Yedioth Ahronoth conference, during which he was heckled and interrupted by participants who oppose government policy.
All KKL-JNF events for Passover 2015: trips, family happenings and workshops • The details
In an interview with him by journalist Moran Azoulay, he was asked: "Let's address the tax evasion law for a moment. You said you give money to the Haredim.".
Smotrich interrupted her: "What is the 'Dodging Law'? You called it the 'Dodging Law' even when Yair Lapid called it a 'vision of the end times' in the previous government?"'
Later, after chants were heard from the audience, he scolded: "Don't lecture me, I am convinced that my children, my brothers, my brothers-in-law and my nephews serve a thousand times more than most of those sitting here in this hall, that no one will lecture me, because things will change - we are bringing in a different law.".
Regarding the dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet, he said: "Ronen Bar is directly responsible for the terrible failure. He should have finished his job a long time ago. What do you have to unite behind a failed Shin Bet head? Is this your tribal bonfire? Look yourself in the eye.
""You should have gone out to protest now and demanded the dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet. A drop of anti-legitimate integrity! Ronen Bar is directly responsible for the terrible failure.".
Smotrich shouted at the audience for long minutes: "What do you have to unite behind the man whose security organization he heads should have provided a warning and did not? Who clings to the horns of the altar of his position, who for a year and a half has been carrying out a targeted thwarting of the concept of national responsibility?".
When asked whether they would respect the High Court ruling, he replied: "If there is a place where the doctrine of institutional injustice was created for it - this is it. The legal system must also recognize the limits of power. It is impossible to force a prime minister and government to work with the head of the Shin Bet who do not trust each other. The responsibility for Israel's security lies with the government, and therefore the authority is in its hands.".
""You should have demanded the dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet, who heads an organization that holds so much power and violates human and civil rights," Smotrich continued, referring to the recordings of the head of the Shin Bet's Jewish division. "You should have supported me when I was detained for three weeks in Shin Bet custody when I fought against the deportation from Gush Katif just because I was suspected of organizing roadblocks.".
He added: "Unfortunately, the Jewish division of the Shin Bet violates human and civil rights in an illegal, unconstitutional, undemocratic and unequal manner. I am especially saddened that my brothers and friends on the left are applauding this moral distortion today and defending it. You will find better, more genuine and more willing clans to unite around than Ronen Bar.".
The cries of protest did not stop, and Minister Smotrich addressed the crowd: "What can we do, we have a majority in the Knesset and in the government, 68 seats, and I estimate that we will have a majority even after the next elections. I am not prepared under any circumstances to surrender, not to Hamas, and to differentiate a thousand and thousand differences, nor to violence, whether it comes from legal sources or whether it comes from people who shout contempt and are unable to listen, with the understanding that there are different opinions.".
Regarding the report that Israel is expected to resume sending humanitarian aid to Gaza, he stated: "Read May Leaves. Not even a grain of wheat will be sent in a way that will reach Hamas. This is the mistake in the news report, which was made in the first part of the war.".
He explained: "There were very good military operational achievements, but the failure to include the humanitarian aid that reached Hamas maintains the population's dependence on it. Hamas received a billion dollars in money as a result of the crooked way in which the humanitarian effort was managed in the Gaza Strip. This became logistical aid to Hamas.".
When asked if the hostages would be released first and then Israel would act to defeat Hamas, he replied: "This is a slogan whose feasibility I simply don't know. Hamas is not stupid. In exchange for the hostages, it demands our complete surrender, the withdrawal of the IDF, and its continued existence as a dominant force with power and weapons. This means that the threat is maintained. This means that all the blood we have literally paid will go down the drain and there will be another round - and that won't happen.".
He addressed the protesters in the crowd and responded to a person who recited Kaddish: "I demonstrated against Oslo and the disengagement and everyone said I was delusional. The State of Israel paid a heavy price for the wake-up call.".
People in the audience called out to Smotrich, "Return the hostages" - and he replied: "It's good that the war started. It's a shame that it started the way it did. But we are changing the reality in the Middle East. A country that wants to live does not surrender to the protection of a terrorist organization. We will return our hostages home, God willing, but we will not surrender to Hamas. I understand very well the side that thinks that surrender is necessary to return the hostages - I am not ready.".
Join the Haredim 10 Facebook page >>
Join the X page of Haredim 10 >>
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
