Yemina Trying To Exempt Religious Zionist Kollel Students From Liberman’s Daycare Subsidy Cancellation

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In what is a clear indication that the subsidy cancellations initiated by Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman are supported by Prime Minister Bennett and are designed to target chareidim, the Yemina party is attempting to exempt religious Zionist kollel students from the new regulations, according to a Kan 11 report.

Liberman recently announced  that in order to encourage integration into the workforce, he would change the criteria for receiving day care subsidies and both parents would have to work for a minimum 24 hours weekly in order to receive subsidies. Additionally if one parent is studying a program which will enable them to integrate into the workforce, the family will also qualify for subsidies.

The Yemina party is attempting to allow families of religious Zionist kollel students to be included in the subsidies even though only one parent is working, even though similar chareidi families would not qualify for subsidies. The move incensed both chareidi and religious Zionist members of the opposition who saw it as a case of unfair discrimination.

MK Moshe Gafni responded by stating that “the truth is revealed: Religious Zionist kollel students will continue to receive day care subsidies while chareidi students will not be subsidized. Liberman, Bennett and their partners are fueled by hatred of chareidim and nothing else. This is incorrect from a moral, public and legal point of view and is inherently wrong.”

Religious Zionism leader Betzalel Smotrich attacked the move stating that “On the eve of Tisha B’av, Bennett and Shaked are trying to spread divisiveness and dispute between the religious Zionists and the chareidi community. You won’t succeed. The blood of a child wearing a knitted kippa is no redder than that of a child wearing a black kippa. We will stay united against those who prefer to capitulate to supporters of terror and at the same time humiliate Torah scholars.”

MK Michal Waldiger from Religious Zionism added that “instead of fixing Liberman’s injustice, Yemina are trying to cause friction between communities. A Torah scholar is a Torah scholar and the shameful decision of Liberman must be abolished.”

MK Itamar Ben-Gvir also attacked the move stating that “we in Religious Zionism should refuse to accept this benefit. We cannot agree to benefits given to us by depriving our chareidi brothers. We will not accept discrimination based on type of kipa. This is a government of hate and we must all be united in fighting it.”