Haredi Knesset members published furious statements against the Religious Zionist Party on Wednesday due to its decision not to support a daycare subsidy bill for haredi draft dodgers designed to bypass the Supreme Court ruling on the matter.
The bill passed in the preliminary reading in the Knesset plenum, despite the party's position. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich refused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pleas to support the bill, and clarified that as long as the haredim oppose the conscription law, "The Religious Zionists are not participating."
The Religious Zionist Party responded to the criticism and explained the reasons for the decision not to support the daycare bill in the plenum. "While some of the haredi parties are politically flirting with the left-wing bloc and simultaneously opposing a serious conscription framework, you can't demand the Religious Zionists to be the sucker on call," a statement on behalf of the party read.
The party also stated that the public that serves in the reserves, fights, and pays the price would not accept a reality where the haredi parties shoot down the conscription bill and also demand benefits at the same time.
Degel Hatorah Chairman MK Moshe Gafni attacked the conduct of his coalition partners: "The hatred against the haredi public drives them crazy and also hurts the working and weak public."
He added, "Their partners in their worldview in the Religious Zionist Party act with distortion and ingratitude. We gave them everything, with settlements, funding, and positions, and when it comes to issues that are important to the haredi public, they turn their back and work against us. They lack integrity and values. We will take that into account from now on with anything concerning religious Zionists.
United Torah Judaism and Agudat Yisrael Chairman Yitchak Goldknopf joined the attack, criticizing the Religious Zionist Party Chair: "Bezalel Smotrich's absence from the vote on the daycare bill exposes his true face. When he tries to get votes from the haredi sector, the public will remember that at the moment of truth, he couldn't care less about haredi families. As far as he's concerned, the haredi children are another tool in the political game to pass the electoral threshold."
MK Meir Porush (UTJ) also published a statement on the matter, condemning the vote and the legal policy: "It's shameful that opposition MKs, along with individuals from the coalition, chose to hurt little children. I call on the judicial system to stop this persecution of innocent children. United Torah Judaism will continue to fight with all means available to protect Torah students."