Yair Lapid
Yair LapidMiriam Alster/Flash 90

The Yesh Atid party was highly critical of the government's decision to cancel the once-mandated core curriculum for all Israeli students. Under the new arrangement, haredi students in private schools, will no longer be required to pass core subjects such as English and mathematics.

Party head Yair Lapid responded to the decision, saying: "the government of Israel has sold the future of its children, and has taken the ability of an entire generation to support itself honorably. Despite their awareness of the damage they are causing, concerns about the survival of the coalition have won out.

"Anybody who sits in this government knows that he has deprived children the basic tools needed to integrate into the work-place.

"Nevertheless, they supported the law because they don't care. All they care about is [...] keeping their seats."

The cancellation bill garnered broad support from coalition members, while drawing the ire of the opposition parties.

MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home) explained his position on July 26, when the bill was passed through its first reading:

"I have no doubt that through natural processes, the haredim will learn more math, and more will draft into the IDF, and that the secular will learn more Torah - but not through legislation."