Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid excoriated the right-wing Religious Zionist Party on Tuesday, calling the faction “anti-Zionist”.
While vowing Tuesday morning to back a version of the Citizenship Law drafted by Religious Zionist Party MK Simcha Rothman, Lapid lamented that the bill was linked to the party, calling the faction “anti-Zionist”.
“Just as I would not agree for [the Arab nationalist party] Balad to lead passage of the Citizenship Law, so too I do not agree to have the party of [MK Itamar] Ben-Gvir pass the Citizenship Law.”
Religious Zionist Party chairman MK Bezalel Smotrich pushed back Tuesday, writing: “As far as Lapid is concerned, the Religious Zionist movement is good enough to fill the military cemeteries, but isn’t Zionist enough to pass the Citizenship Law.”
“It definitely isn’t as ‘Zionist’ as the Islamic Movement which he is allied with,” Smotrich continued, referring to the United Arab List, which is associated with the Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel.
“This sick person, who compares Religious Zionism to Balad, is going to be made prime minister by Bennett, Shaked, and Orbach.”
Earlier this week, the powerful Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved Rothman’s Citizenship Law proposal, clearing the way for a vote in the Knesset.