MK Yuli Edelstein, former chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, responded today (Tuesday) to the dramatic decision by Lithuanian Haredi leader Rabbi Dov Landau to push for elections due to the crisis surrounding the enlistment law.
Edelstein, who was removed from his position as committee chairman after insisting on a broad enlistment law contrary to the position of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Haredi parties, argued that the political moves of recent months during the war had collapsed in the face of reality.
“Unfortunately, today I have to say: I told you so," Edelstein began. “Already ten months ago, I officially stated that replacing the chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee would change nothing - it would only bury the enlistment law once and for all. And that is exactly what happened."
According to Edelstein, “Since the outbreak of the war, I fought for a real enlistment law, but the Haredi leadership never truly wanted enlistment, even at the cost of bringing down the right-wing government."
He continued with a direct attack on the Haredi coalition partners: “Today, the Israeli public understands who told the truth and who played politics on the backs of reservists and the serving public. I am proud that I prevented an evasion law, and I will continue to fight for a real and fair enlistment law in the State of Israel."
Edelstein’s response came shortly after Rabbi Dov Lando declared a complete loss of confidence in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a sharply worded letter to the Degel HaTorah Knesset members, the rabbi stated that “we are no longer committed to him" and instructed them to work toward elections as quickly as possible. The decision followed Netanyahu’s clarification to the Haredi party leaders that he would not be able to pass the enlistment law in its current form.
Rabbi Lando wrote to the Haredi lawmakers: “You have carried out your mission faithfully and beyond all expectations. We have no trust in the Prime Minister, and we no longer feel we are his partners. We are not committed to him. From now on, we will do only what we believe is good for Haredi Judaism, and in our opinion elections should be held as soon as possible. All the talk about a bloc no longer exists."