Deputy Education Minister Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) attacked the Religious Zionism party led by MK Bezalel Smotrich, saying it is "conceit and audacity" to try to sell a party that supports National Services for women to haredi voters.
At a meeting with United Torah Judaism (UTJ) activists, Porush said: "In recent days, a dangerous red line was crossed, when the Religious Zionism list, in which some candidates officially and in practice support enlisting girls to National Service, turned directly to the haredi public and requested their votes and their faith in the coming elections."
According to him, since the founding of the State of Israel, "faithful Judaism has been battling the enlistment decree for girls and National Service."
He added that "all Torah sages have dedicated their lives to waging great battles against something which affects the very spirit of Judaism, and which all Torah bodies are dependent on for their heart's tune. Religious Zionism has sided with and encouraged National Service, which has brought horrible destruction to all of Israel."
"How do these [people] dare to market to the haredi public a list in which some of its candidates actively support enlisting girls and National Service, and they act to expand it and help it thrive, G-d help us, when they are even proud of this??
"To say this more clearly: They are unashamedly calling on the haredi public to go and betray all of our Torah sages and scholars, who very clearly said that enlisting girls and National Service are issues to die for and not violate. This is something that should horrify every Jew for whom fear of Heaven is important. How could one think of supporting a party which prides itself on such prohibitions, which one should better die than violate?
"The Religious Zionist community which lives in settlements founded across Judea and Samaria, and which supports UTJ, identifies completely with the ruling that the previous generation's Torah scholars and sages signed. How could [the party] turn to UTJ voters and ask for their vote?
"All of this is in addition to the other issues which are so important to the soul of a faithful Jew. Our battles are not their battles. While we fight for classrooms for our small children, their classrooms are anchored in law, and they don't have to fight for them at all."