Religious Zionist Party MK Simcha Rothman lamented the establishment of Israel’s new national unity government, saying the government’s reliance on the United Arab List party undermines the country’s Jewish character and cohesion.
“This government has four major problems,” Rothman said in an interview with Arutz Sheva.
“The first is to give the terror-sympathizers in Ra’am [the United Arab List] a place in the government within the coalition agreement. That’s something that was never done until now. It isn’t a good breakthrough, it breaks down what keeps us together as a Jewish state.”
“The second thing is the abandoning of right-wing ideology. We don’t see recognition in the government for the new settlements [in Judea and Samaria]. We don’t see how they’re going to deal with Bedouins in the Negev and the Galilee, or how they’re going to bring back governability to the Negev and the Galilee or to the mixed cities.
“And there issues of religion and state. When you talk about marriage, buses on Shabbat – major issues in the status quo of what keeps Israel a Jewish state are going to dissolve in this government.”
“The fourth issue is lying to the voters. Bennett basically stole their votes. Once you have, for the first time in history who does not have the trust of the public, neither in the Left nor the Right…that is very damaging to Israeli democracy.”
How will you topple this government?
“We will put forward right-wing legislation that will break the loose ties of the government.”
“Maybe the other members in their party will regret what they’ve done. A lot of people whom we used to count on as part of the religious Zionist population and the right-wing of the Knesset – we’ve lost them to this left-wing government.”