JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A bombshell report in the Israeli media claims that as part of their coalition talks, Likud and the Charedi UTJ party are discussing a number of religious proposals.
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The unsourced and unsubstantiated Channel 12 report claimed that Likud had already agreed to multiple proposals, including requiring power plants to shut down on Shabbos, the establishment of state-funded committees to answer questions on Halacha, the expansion of gender-segregated beaches, and an increase of religious studies in public schools.
However that report appears to have been debunked by both parties, who denied any final agreement had been reached. Likud described the proposals as “a list of demands from UTJ, not a deal that Likud has agreed to.”
Likud also denied that it would ban energy generation on Shabbos or expand gender-segregated beaches.
UTJ leader Yitzchak Goldknopf said late Monday that the two sides “are still currently sitting down for negotiations to formulate the coalition agreement.”
(It is a possibility that the non-religious media, or the leftist segment of the government, have exaggerated the report, in an effort to stir controversy and sabotage the religious parties.)
Channel 12 laid out a series of proposals, including:
- Passing a law to regulate the exemption of ultra-Orthodox youth from enlisting in the army
- Having a Chief Rabbinate representative on any panel weighing permits for work on Shabbos
- Barring electricity production on Shabbos
- Funding special archives known as a “genizah” — to preserve “shaimos” documents and papers containing Hashem’s name
- Forming and funding bodies to provide answers to the public on questions of halacha
- An agreement to increase the number of gender-segregated beaches
- Discounting public transportation in predominantly ultra-Orthodox cities
- Providing Charedim with affirmative action when applying for jobs in state-controlled bodies
- Allowing hospitals to ban chametz on Pesach
- Allowing any citizen to demand in-ground burial, instead of above-ground structures known as vertical cemeteries established to battle overcrowding
- Requiring more religious studies in the state’s secular school system
- Weighing the closure of the new Reform department in the Diaspora Affairs Ministry
- Mandating that all online government services also be provided via phone for those who shun internet use, as many ultra-Orthodox do
- Increasing government payouts to yeshiva students
The report also claimed that several Charedim would be appointed to Cabinet positions, including Goldknopf as Housing and Construction Minister, and Moshe Gafni as chairman of the Finance Committee. In addition, Meir Porush would be appointed Minister for Jerusalem Affairs and Tradition, and Uri Makalev as a Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Transportation and in the Prime Minister’s Office.
If you were a Secular Jew, and living in Israel, how would you feel about “Discounting public transportation in predominantly ultra-Orthodox cities”?
Do you think this will make Secular Jews LOVE Orthodox Jews and Orthodox Judaism?
Or will it cause Secular Jews to HATE Orthodox Jews and Orthodox Judaism – even more than before?
A few of these proposals make sense but many of them will widen the split in society and trigger an anti-chareidi backlash. Do we really want that?
The biggest threat to klal Yisael and to the State of Israel is the immigration of non-Jews. That needs be addressed first and foremost.
How about more colleges for charedim that are gender segregated? How about a puter for charedim for the army so they can go to work? Maybe a stimulus to ?
Unfortunately this is all false as zionism hates yahadus