Former Justice Minister Haim Ramon has questioned if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is more important to the haredi parties than the Torah itself.
In an interview with Kol Hai Radio, Ramon explained the rationale behind the center-left's decision to appoint Yamina chief MK Naftali Bennett to the position of prime minister.
"They are fulfilling a huge dream - that of removing Netanyahu from Balfour - and that is more important than everything else," he explained. "From their perspective, it is the eleventh of the Ten Commandments."
"A few months ago, would you have thought that Labor and Meretz would praise Bennett, when just a quarter of an hour before, he and [Yamina MK Ayelet] Shaked were fascists, settlers, Arab haters, etc.?
"But there is one thing stronger than all else - to remove Netanyahu from Balfour. The greatest achievement, from their perspective, is the very formation of this government. Afterwards, everyone will start pulling towards their side."
Noting the haredi parties' concerns over persecution by the new government, he explained: "Let's say this lasts a bit of time. I hear [United Torah Judaism MK Moshe] Gafni warning of the danger to the Torah world that the new government presents, and I want to ask him and Shas: Why do you not go to Netanyahu with a clear statement: 'We will not sacrifice the Torah world for you. Go home and we will form a proper right-wing and religious government, with 65 Knesset seats.' Is Netanyahu more important than the Torah?"
"If Netanyahu would have succeeded - fine, but it's clear he's not succeeding. Now is the last moment. Get up, tell him, 'We did everything.' If he would quit and Gantz would become prime minister maybe it will still be possible to do something, and Netanyahu will be Alternate [Prime Minister].
"If Netanyahu quits now, Gantz will become the prime minister," Ramon added, criticizing the haredi parties as having "lost all political sense and desire for existence, and sacrificing large parts of the Torah world for Netanyahu."