Following Yamina MK Nir Orbach’s decision not to join the rest of the “Bloc for change” in calling for the Knesset Speaker to be replaced, thus depriving the bloc of a majority for the move, Orbach is reportedly weighing his next steps.
Like other Yamina MKs such as Idit Silman and Ayelet Shaked, Orbach is coming under intense pressure to oppose the formation of a government that will include leftist Yesh Atid and extreme-left Meretz and Labor, as well as the United Arab List.
On Thursday morning, Rabbi Yosef Shaneh, Nir Orbach’s rabbi and close friend, publicly called on Orbach to vote against the formation of the “change” government, even as he stressed that within the Religious Zionist movement, MKs take advice from their rabbis but make their own decisions.
“Nir must not resign,” Rabbi Shaneh told Radio 103FM. “I voted for Nir, and, like most other Yamina voters, I didn’t vote for a left-wing government. He should vote against the formation of such a government – which will help [fellow Yamina MK Ayelet] Shaked to come to her senses as well.
“Nir listens to me, and then makes up his own mind,” he continued, “and this is how things work in the Religious Zionist world. Nothing is black-and-white, but I hope Nir will be guided by my insights.”
Rabbi Shaneh also noted that although people see Orbach as Yamina head Naftali Bennett’s protégé, the opposite is actually the case. “I often hear people saying how Orbach owes everything to Bennett, but I see the reverse – I see Bennett as indebted to Nir. He was the one who accompanied Bennett to all our rabbis – he was the one who gained access for Bennett to our leaders.
“And Nir is also a very brave man,” he added.