"It turns out that without a religious faith in our Biblical-religious right to the land [of Israel], it is difficult to struggle against the world and against the international media." So stated Likud Knesset Member Gilad Erdan, explaining the phenomenon of Likud MKs abandoning ideology and falling in line with Prime Minister Sharon's unilateral withdrawal plans. He made the comments earlier this week in an interview with Arutz-7 marking the closure of the Knesset's winter session.
"There is no doubt," Erdan continued, "that the Likud, and also the National Religious Party when it held the Education Ministry portfolio, did not invest sufficiently in secular education. Thus, the situation has been created that today, I meet young people who are not familiar with historical events even of the past few tens of years. For instance, they do not even know such an important detail as the fact that the PLO was founded prior to the Six Day War, prior to what is called 'the occupation'. I meet young people who don't know who Begin was, and who certainly don't know who Jabotinsky was. We have here a fundamental educational failing."
In characterizing the Knesset's winter session, MK Erdan said it was a "most difficult session, held under permanent threat of the horrendous [disengagement] plan of Prime Minister Sharon."
As for the possibility of the left-wing Labor Party joining the government coalition, Erdan said: "Because of Sharon's desire to carry out his plans, he will have no choice but to turn to the Labor Party; mainly because nationalist parties will be unable to remain in a government that is uprooting communities."
As for Labor itself, Erdan commented, "They are anxious to get in, despite the fact that the people are not always interested in that [possibility]."
"There is no doubt," Erdan continued, "that the Likud, and also the National Religious Party when it held the Education Ministry portfolio, did not invest sufficiently in secular education. Thus, the situation has been created that today, I meet young people who are not familiar with historical events even of the past few tens of years. For instance, they do not even know such an important detail as the fact that the PLO was founded prior to the Six Day War, prior to what is called 'the occupation'. I meet young people who don't know who Begin was, and who certainly don't know who Jabotinsky was. We have here a fundamental educational failing."
In characterizing the Knesset's winter session, MK Erdan said it was a "most difficult session, held under permanent threat of the horrendous [disengagement] plan of Prime Minister Sharon."
As for the possibility of the left-wing Labor Party joining the government coalition, Erdan said: "Because of Sharon's desire to carry out his plans, he will have no choice but to turn to the Labor Party; mainly because nationalist parties will be unable to remain in a government that is uprooting communities."
As for Labor itself, Erdan commented, "They are anxious to get in, despite the fact that the people are not always interested in that [possibility]."