MK Yakov Asher
MK Yakov AsherHillel Meir/ TPS

MK Yakov Asher (UTJ) on Monday said Blue and White leader MK Yair Lapid is destroying any chance of future cooperation between their parties.

"[Blue and White leaders MKs Benny] Gantz, [Moshe] Ya'alon and [Gabi] Ashkenazi know that Lapid is ruining their relationship with us," Asher told Kol Barama Radio.

Asher also claimed that "Lapid grew up in a home with hatred of haredim, and even if he wears a tallit (prayer shawl) at the Western Wall or his wife takes challah (tithes the bread she bakes), his ideology is clear, and he is not a partner from our perspective. [Yisrael Beytenu MK Avigdor] Liberman has a problem with [Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu and therefore the war against him belongs to the Likud, not to us."

Regarding a recent anti-haredi video published by Blue and White, Asher said: "This contest between those trying to siphon votes is already boring and not worthy of comment, despite the fact that it is repulsive. Some of the refine souls need to wake up, because it smells like anti-Semitism, and if it were against new immigrants from Russia we would have heard condemnation from every side."

Regarding the expansion in Lod intended for haredim, Asher said approximately 500 families would begin moving in "within the next month, so the school year will begin there."

"Lod's mayor is filled with a sense of mission to help absorb all of the residents in the best way possible. Regarding the issue of transportation, I have contacted the Transportation Minister. Despite the Finance Ministry delays, new public transportation routes will soon be approved for the area."