Gafni Slams Smotrich Over Daycare Bill as 'Ridiculous' Stunt

A bitter political feud erupted Tuesday between United Torah Judaism and Religious Zionism after the Knesset Finance Committee advanced the daycare subsidy bill, with Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni's office launching a scathing attack on Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for claiming credit over provisions already in place for years.

The confrontation centers on a clause in the legislation granting priority access to subsidized daycare slots for reservist soldiers, a provision Religious Zionism hailed as a major achievement for the national-religious community. But sources close to Gafni dismissed the celebration as political theater designed to mask Smotrich's electoral vulnerabilities.

"Smotrich's desperate attempt to scrape together votes by presenting an 'achievement' that has existed for many years is ridiculous and disconnected from reality," officials in Gafni's circle stated. The remarks signal deepening tensions within the coalition as parties jockey for position ahead of potential elections.

The daycare legislation, initiated by Gafni alongside a group of coalition lawmakers, seeks to establish that eligibility for subsidized daycare slots will be determined solely based on the mother's employment or educational status, a formulation designed to preserve subsidies for young haredi families where fathers study in yeshiva full-time despite receiving draft orders.

Religious Zionism emphasized that the bill includes explicit language prioritizing reservist families, framing it as an uncompromising commitment to Israel's citizen-soldiers. But Degel HaTorah insiders characterized the provision as merely recycling longstanding agreements rather than breaking new ground.

"This is not a new achievement, it's an old agreement they're trying to rebrand," Gafni's office declared, adding pointedly: "The Israeli public is far more intelligent than Religious Zionism believes."

Bezalel Smotrich (Photo: Yonatan Sindel / Flash90)

The verbal assault included a thinly veiled reference to Smotrich's political troubles, with Gafni's circle noting that "the ongoing battle over the electoral threshold speaks volumes" about Religious Zionism's standing. Recent polling has shown the party hovering near the threshold for Knesset representation, prompting internal discussions about lowering the barrier to secure smaller parties' survival.

The Finance Committee approved the daycare bill for a preliminary Knesset reading despite fierce opposition from Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon, who argued the legislation discriminates against families where fathers work rather than study. The hearing descended into chaos when Shas MK Yinon Azoulay erupted at Limon, shouting "You're calling me a populist? Shame on you!" during the heated exchange.

United Torah Judaism also criticized Religious Zionism for boycotting the Knesset plenum vote on the daycare measure, while Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir's party supported the legislation, a split that further exposed coalition fault lines over haredi-related policies.

The clash over the daycare bill reflects broader coalition strains as parties position themselves for the next electoral battle. While Religious Zionism seeks to demonstrate concrete achievements for its base, haredi parties are pushing back against what they view as attempts to claim credit for their legislative initiatives.

The escalating rhetoric suggests the fragile coalition unity that has held through Israel's multi-front war may be fraying as political calculations increasingly drive decision-making.