The meeting today between MK Rabbi Yitzchak Levy and Avigdor Yitzchaki of the Prime Minister's Office this morning ended with no concrete results, and officials in the National Religious Party are warning that a genuine coalition crisis is in the works. Levy still refuses to accept the position of Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office until it is made clear that his authorities will include running the Ministry of Religious Affairs until its dismantling.
Ex-MK Yigal Bibi of the NRP told Arutz-7 today that although the Ministry will in fact be dismantled, "until then, contrary to Shinui's desire, the religious services must continue. The ministry must not be broken down into little pieces, but rather, just like the Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Labor, moved as an entire entity. It is inconceivable that Levy should have to run these affairs by remote control from the Prime Minister's Office, and not from the Ministry building itself... One would think that the Likud would have more important things to worry about than where Rabbi Levy should sit..." Bibi acknowledged that the coalition agreement was not clear as to how these issues should be resolved.
HaTzofeh newspaper editorialized today that this "first crisis in the new coalition... should not be taken lightly." The editors believe that while there have been many calls for dialogue between religious and secular, it is apparent that "Lapid and his friends have a clear agenda, which completely contradicts the religious-Zionist experience and vision of the State of Israel." The religious-Zionist paper urges the NRP to ensure that Israel retains its Jewish character.
Ex-MK Yigal Bibi of the NRP told Arutz-7 today that although the Ministry will in fact be dismantled, "until then, contrary to Shinui's desire, the religious services must continue. The ministry must not be broken down into little pieces, but rather, just like the Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Labor, moved as an entire entity. It is inconceivable that Levy should have to run these affairs by remote control from the Prime Minister's Office, and not from the Ministry building itself... One would think that the Likud would have more important things to worry about than where Rabbi Levy should sit..." Bibi acknowledged that the coalition agreement was not clear as to how these issues should be resolved.
HaTzofeh newspaper editorialized today that this "first crisis in the new coalition... should not be taken lightly." The editors believe that while there have been many calls for dialogue between religious and secular, it is apparent that "Lapid and his friends have a clear agenda, which completely contradicts the religious-Zionist experience and vision of the State of Israel." The religious-Zionist paper urges the NRP to ensure that Israel retains its Jewish character.