Moshe Kahlon
Moshe KahlonBen Kelmer/Flash 90

Kulanu Party Chairman Moshe Kahlon presented his party's platform on a number of non-economic issues on Monday, during a Haaretz pre-elections project to ask tough questions to party leaders. 

Kahlon surprised the interviewer by answering liberally on questions of religion and state. While perceived as "traditional," and thus more aligned with the national-religious in regard specifically to religious issues, Kahlon aligned with Yesh Atid in vowing to introduce public transportation on Shabbat.

"I think that these matters are, first of all, social ones," he opined. "People who don't have vehicles are limited socioeconomically and are affected by the inability to be mobile." 

"A socially-minded party would not oppose [public transport on Shabbat]," he added, noting that the routes would be coordinated "by neighborhood, so as not to hurt the feelings of certain groups." 

Kahlon also aligned with Yesh Atid on the push to enact criminal sanctions for haredi men who dodge the mandatory IDF draft. 

"I support equality and regarding the haredi draft, or Equal Burden of Service law, I think it is also in their interest," he noted. "Regarding criminal sanctions - I'm willing to consider it. After a while, we have to test this initiative and  we'll see whether sanctions would be beneficial or not."

Kahlon even supported civil marriage.

"I personally am a traditional person, but I believe you have to allow each person to live his life and choose the framework in which he belongs," Kahlon said. "We obviously did not oppose any initiative of this kind."