Minister Amichai Eliyahu spoke at a special meeting organized by Channel 7 in New York with leaders of Jewish communities, headed by Dr. Joe Frager, and addressed the controversy that arose following the appointment of Esti Schreiber as Director General of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
“We appointed a CEO for the Israel Antiquities Authority, which deals with all the history of the People of Israel and the Land of Israel," Eliyahu began. “Despite the fact that she is a woman, which should have suited all the progressive standards, despite the fact that she is talented and succeeded in making extraordinary real estate deals, they did not support her because she is religious and wears a head covering. So they didn’t give her backing-only because she is not from their camp."
He went on to describe legal and bureaucratic authorities as mechanisms seeking to constrain the elected government and obstruct right-wing appointments. “The deep state will do everything-it will petition the High Court, it will fight her, humiliate her, invent lies and disgrace her. They will use the legal system, the civil service, delay tactics, and do everything possible to cancel the will of the people in Israeli democracy."
He stressed that, in his view, the real motivation behind the petitions and opposition to Schreiber’s appointment is not administrative or legal considerations, but a deep ideological fear of rooted Jewish identity. “The only reason this is happening is because they are afraid that a leaf will be connected to the branch before it, and that people will suddenly become connected to the Baal Shem Tov, to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and to Baba Sali-and then they will reach King David and Abraham our forefather. Their fear of this deep rootedness is what leads them to fight against the CEO we appointed."