MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) delivered a sharply worded speech in the Knesset plenum on Wednesday, attacking parties now seeking to cooperate with the haredi factions in talks to form a new government. He accused those parties of leading a campaign of incitement against the haredi public in recent years.
Porush opened with criticism of the treatment of the haredi public before the election. He said, "We are faced with a shameful display of boundless hypocrisy. For nearly three years, and throughout the most recent election campaign, media figures and professional agitators led an unrestrained campaign of incitement against haredi Judaism."
He went on to address attacks against the haredi public over military conscription, saying that derogatory labels and harsh accusations had been directed at Torah students.
He said, "Look at what our community has endured. Under the false heading of the 'conscription issue,' you stopped at no slander. You branded us with derogatory labels."
Porush criticized the use of the label "alliance of draft evaders", noting that the emerging government could rely on the support of Arab lawmakers. He said, "You called us an 'alliance of draft evaders,' as though those replacing us would actually be serving in the military. They are 19 Knesset members from the Arab parties."
He added that the attacks reached their peak when the haredi public and Torah students were blamed for soldiers' deaths. He charged, "And you also reached the most terrible moral low of all: blaming an entire community, Torah students, for the blood and deaths of soldiers."
Later in his speech, Porush argued that the election results and political talks with the haredi factions had brought a sharp change in the attitude of media figures toward the haredi public.
He said, "And lo and behold, the moment the political map changed, everything turned around overnight." He added, "Suddenly, the editorials pull back, the commentators change direction, and the newspapers that attacked us mercilessly suddenly begin to coddle the haredi public. It is a disgrace. Do not come in here, at least not with your faces uncovered. Cover your faces in shame for everything you did to the haredi public and for the poisonous incitement you poured on us just days ago, when you thought anything was permissible."