Naftali Bennett's party is polling strongly among younger voters too
Naftali Bennett's party is polling strongly among younger voters tooMiriam Alster/Flash 90

Incensed members of the Culture Basket Committee met Saturday night to discuss Education Minister Naftali Bennett's recent decision to remove "A Parallel Time" from the basket's repertoire against the committee's will.  

"A Parallel Time" tells the story of an incarcerated Palestinian terrorist preparing for his wedding behind bars; it was inspired by the life of Walid Daka, who was convicted for his involvement in the abduction and murder of IDF soldier Moshe Tamam in 1984. 

After the committee refused to remove the play from the national selection of cultural events, Bennett took advantage of his powers as Education Minister and cut state-funding for the production. 

"I want to say this bluntly: Israeli citizens won't fund plays tolerant of the murder of soldiers," Bennett announced.  

Moreover, the Jewish Home chairman asserted, the morality of the committee that approved the play in the first place last spring "needed to be examined," after it found "nothing offensive" about the play.

Committee members were furious at the "questioning of their loyalty," Issuing a statement personally attacking Bennett at the end of their meeting Saturday night. 

"The Committee rejects with the disgust the Education Minister's questioning of its members professionalism, morality and loyalty to the state," members wrote, adding they will protest "the attempt to make the Committee a rubber stamp for the Minister's decisions."