Minister Meir Porush, chairman of 'Shlomei Emunim', who refused to address the crisis of the draft law and the regulation of the status of yeshiva students for months, alongside economic decrees, breaks his silence and admits for the first time: "We are today in the worst situation for Haredi Judaism since the establishment of the state."
During his speech at the 'Shlomei Emunim' conference, Minister Porush admitted: "It would not be an exaggeration to say that Haredi Judaism is in its most fateful test hours. In my opinion, we are today in the worst situation for Haredi Judaism since the establishment of the state. The situation where there is no regulation for the status of yeshiva students and kollel students vis-à-vis the draft authorities is unprecedented and unacceptable."
Porush also did not hide what he knows and revealed that his position is that no solution will be found for the draft issue: "But precisely from this experience, from the understanding of the principled position of the Gedolei Israel on the one hand, and on the other hand, to distinguish, the position of the rebellious Likud MKs, I tell you that we must not delude ourselves and the public that supposedly there is an ability to promote a law now to regulate the status of yeshiva students that we in Haredi Judaism can live with, and I will be careful and say my poor opinion that perhaps precisely expediting the proceedings in this matter may be to our detriment, but this is a question for the decision of the Council of Torah Sages."
According to him: "If there will be someone who succeeds in bringing such a law, I will personally award him a gold medal. There are those who boast of capabilities, and there are also those who told that there is a chance in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to change the law for the better. Unfortunately, this is an illusion. At this time, there is no law that can pass on the opinion of the Attorney General and that we can live with."
Porush claimed that: "The situation is paradoxical. When this government was formed, less than two years ago, we all thought that precisely the government of 'full right full right' as they promised us, would be the best period. But the wrath of the High Court jumped on us, and destroyed every good part, every bit of hope for normality here in the land of Israel."
As for the question of why the Haredi representation does not withdraw from the Knesset, Porush explained: "The question arises, until when? Indeed, it is not the government that made these bad decisions, but what is the point of staying there? The question is good and poignant, and I will not deny that I sometimes ask it too. The possible answer is the answer of Rabbi Itche Meir Levin, the leader of Agudat Israel and its first representative in the government, who did not resign from the government until he reached the conclusion that 'they stop considering me', as he said."
Are they considering us? Minister Dudi Amsalem will be here soon, he doesn't usually wear a kippah, but does he consider us? I believe the answer is yes. Tomorrow Minister Shlomo Karhi will be here, wearing a kippah, a student of the Gaon Rabbi Meir Mazuz, does he consider us? I think the answer is yes. By the way, this is the place to thank him for canceling the communication decree of the previous government.
And no, it's far from perfect, not everyone is Dudi Amsalem and Shlomo Karhi and the proof is that there is currently no agreement with all Likud Knesset members on a law to regulate the status of yeshiva students that matches the principled position of our rabbis and leaders of Torah and Hasidism."
Minister Porush returned to the Prime Minister's promise that the draft law would pass before the approval of the state budget with the establishment of the government: "It was the head of the Likud who promised me personally and my friends in United Torah Judaism during the coalition negotiations that the law would be approved before the budget. To tell you that I trusted this statement too much? Not really. I preferred, and even demanded, that we pass the law before the formation of the government. If Netanyahu had wanted then, it would have happened.
"Surely you remember that there were those who promoted incapacitation laws, personal laws, political laws at that time. And there were those who chose to give up, chose to rely on the statement that the draft law would be concurrent with the budget. They say: you don't go to the grocery with statements. Unfortunately, this is not a joke. Netanyahu sold his wares, I didn't buy, there were those who chose to buy it."
On the negotiation talks for Gideon Sa'ar's joining the government, he said that "it's no secret that I've known Gideon Sa'ar for many years, from our shared days in the Ministry of Education, and even recently I was in dialogue with him on matters on the agenda.
I don't know exactly where he stands on the fateful question of regulating the status of yeshiva students, but I do know to say that I heard clear statements from him regarding the need to regulate the matter in a proper and respectful dialogue, and that there is no place in this period for the incitement voices that unfortunately are heard again against Torah learners."
However, Porush emphasized: "In addition, we must not forget that our real problem was and still is the justice system. The Attorney General of the government systematically acts to thwart any possibility of regulating the status of yeshiva students, and therefore I fear that salvation will not come to us from coalition changes. This problem needs to be uprooted from the root."