Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett condemned Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri, who told young haredi students last week not to enlist in the IDF, and said that his remarks harm the soldiers' morale.
Speaking to IDF reservists, Bennett stated, "What did Deri say here? Don't be tempted to lend a hand to your brothers in the Armoured Corps who are being burned, don't be tenpted to lend a hand to your brothers in Yahalom who are going into tunnels, don't be tempted to lend a hand to bereaved families who lost their sons in this war, don't be tempted to work to get hostages out, don't be tempted to help your brothers."
The former Prime Minister added, "How can this person be in the War Cabinet? How does this government dare? This obhorrent government dares to send us and give us commands. It's like a knife in the heart to hear this."
In remarks revealed last week by journalist Ari Kalman on i24NEWS, Deri told students at the Shaar HaMelech Yeshiva: "God forbid, let no one here — especially in such a time when the Jewish people are in a state of war, may God protect us — think that maybe we need to reconsider, perhaps we should do something else, perhaps we should contribute, heaven forbid."
Deri then clarified his stance on the role of yeshiva students, saying, "It is you, the Torah learners, who bear the burden."