MK Smotrich
MK SmotrichMiriam Alster/Flash 90

The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee discussed on Sunday a recent decision by IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot to remove the "Jewish Consciousness" department in the IDF from under the auspices of the IDF Rabbinate.   

MK Betzalel Smotrich (Jewish Home) attacked the decision during the meeting and exclaimed "the removal of the Jewish Consciousness program from under the auspices of the IDF Rabbinate is underhanded opportunism. It must be prohibited."

Brigadier-General Gadi Agmon, who represented the IDF during the discussion, negated Smotrich's comments by arguing the move was not opportunistic. "There is no capitalization or underhandedness going on here. What is happening is that we are reorganizing."

Smotrich threatened that the religious parties in the Cabinet will not allow the decision to pass. "We will use our political clout to make sure that this doesn't happen."

Smotrich has made previous threats with regard to voting against the government or using the political power of his party, the Jewish Home, to apply pressure to both government and non-governmental issues.

In the past, however, Smotrich has backed down from his threats and continued to tow the party line calling into question the seriousness of his threats.