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Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Netanyahu an ‘atheist,' former chief rabbi says, accusing IDF of targeting Sephardim
After a week of of demonstrations outside a military prison housing haredi detainees, former Sephardic chief rabbi slammed Netanyahu and Shas leader Arye Deri of stalling the haredi draft bill. Former Sephardi chief rabbi Yitzhak Yosef on Saturday night called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'an atheist,' accused him and Shas leader Arye Deri of stalling a haredi draft bill, and alleged that the IDF is targeting Sephardim for arrests. Speaking after a week of demonstrations outside a military prison that houses haredi detainees, Yosef said that the coalition should have passed the draft law before approving its first budget, in line with the coalition agreement. 'It should have been before forming the government, as written in the coalition agreement, to pass the draft law before the first budget,' he said. Yosef sharply criticized haredi lawmakers and Netanyahu, invoking the late Rabbi Shalom Cohen, who served as president of Shas's Council of Torah Sages. 'Do not listen to Bibi after the budget. Why did they listen to him? If Hacham Shalom were alive, he would shout at the emissaries of the rabbis. Why are you dragging your feet? Why are you listening to Bibi? Do you believe him? He is an atheist,' Yosef said. The Rishon LeZion (the honorific for the Sephardi chief rabbi) continued, 'You rely on someone like that? What are you relying on him for, to pass the draft law? So more delays, and we got into trouble.' He also took aim at the military's recent round of arrests. 'They arrest mainly Sephardim. They know that there the father is weak, the mother is weak,' he said, adding, 'What is this, Russia? When they knock on the door, look through the peephole to see who it is. If it is them, do not open the door. Get through this difficult period.' Previous Controversies Yosef has a long record of provocative statements that often incite public debate. In January 2020, he drew widespread condemnation for referring to some immigrants from the former Soviet Union as 'communist, religion-hating' gentiles; then-Prime Minister Netanyahu branded those remarks 'outrageous' and praised the immigrants as 'a huge blessing to the State of Israel and the Jewish people' . In mid‑2021, Yosef dismissed secular academic subjects, labeling science and mathematics 'nonsense,' and urged that students focus solely on Torah study . Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Deri to remain in Netanyahu's security cabinet, Shas's Arbel rescinds resignation
Arye Deri to remain in Netanyahu's security cabinet, despite Shas leaving government • Interior Minister Moshe Arbel to stay in role to complete 'urgent tasks' Shas's six ministers and one deputy minister handed in their resignations one after the other on Thursday, in the wake of a decision by the party's spiritual leadership council on Wednesday to leave the government over its failure to exempt haredi yeshiva students from IDF service. These included Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, Welfare Minister Yaacov Margi, Health Minister Uriel Busso, Labor Minister Yoav Ben-Tzur, Religious Affairs Minister Michael Malkieli, Minister Within the Education Ministry Haim Bitton, and Deputy Agriculture Minister Moshe Aboutboul. The ministers who resigned will continue to serve as Members of Knesset. Interior Minister Arbel stays temporarily to complete 'urgent tasks' Arbel later rescinded his resignation. In a short statement Arbel explained, 'In light of urgent administrative tasks requiring immediate attention at the Ministry of the Interior—whose delay could harm the public interest—such as completing the recovery plan and ensuring salary payments to the employees of the Nazareth municipality, which is [being governed by] an appointed [temporary] committee, I have informed the Prime Minister of my withdrawal from the resignation in order to complete these tasks.' Arbel added that the move had been coordinated with Shas chairman MK Arye Deri. The council, known as the Council of Torah Sages, directed its MKs to remain in the coalition for the time being. Therefore, despite the resignations, Deri, who was not a minister, will continue attending the government's National Security Cabinet meetings, according to his spokesperson. In a post on X headlined by the quote 'You must act according to the decisions they give you' (Deuteronomy 17:10) Margi wrote, 'With sacred reverence, I have submitted my resignation from my position as Minister of Welfare and Social Affairs—a role I have fulfilled for over two and a half years. Margi continued, 'Together with the dedicated staff of the Ministry of Welfare, I had the privilege of serving the people of Israel during one of the most challenging periods in the country's history, particularly in support of vulnerable populations and welfare recipients. I will continue to serve the public as a Member of Knesset and work for the benefit of all citizens of Israel,' Margi wrote. Netanyahu's government to survive Shas exit The fact that Shas will remain in the coalition means that while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has still lost his majority in parliament, the government will likely survive at least until the Knesset returns from its summer recess, which will run between July 27 and October 19. The coalition currently numbers 60 MKs, after the Ashkenazi-haredi party United Torah Judaism quit the government and coalition on Tuesday, also over the haredi IDF draft issue. In an interview on Kol Berama Radio on Thursday, Malkieli stressed that Shas was still a 'full partner of the national camp' and that there was 'still an opportunity to pass a law and bring us back into the government.' Solve the daily Crossword
