‘Haredi parties have never submitted a bill on religious matters, other than when Supreme Court forced Knesset to intervene,’ Min. Malkieli says.
Religious Affairs Minister Michael Malkieli (Shas) has said that the criticism constantly leveled at the haredi community is rooted in the haredi parties’ support of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I don’t remember periods in which we were not fried, other than if we joined a left-wing government. With them, the media would not attack us, because it’s all about ‘anyone other than Netanyahu,'” Malkieli told Kol Hai Radio.
He also noted that Israel is a country of law and needs to remain so – even though sometimes the law contradicts the haredi lifestyle.
“By the way, we, the haredi parties, have never proposed a bill on religious issues – only on issues for which the Supreme Court forced the Knesset to intervene. The Supreme Court interfered on matters which are not its own, and then the Knesset is forced to interfere, because otherwise the Supreme Court will make the decisions, and the nation needs to make the decisions.”
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On the Draft Law, Malkieli explained, “We really do not want to protect a person who evades military service randomly, for no reason. The Draft Law is one of the most complex there is, because it first of all needs approval from the Torah sages, then the Defense Ministry, and then the judiciary – because we have no interest in returning to a situation where it invalidates [the law]. We are running on borrowed time. We have half a year during which the Defense Minister can delay the enlistment of yeshiva students, so that they are not evaders. The entire coalition committed to this in the coalition agreements. Whoever joined the government knew who the partners are and what their demands are.”
Regarding the judicial reform itself, Malkieli said, “We did not submit the reform. We supported it as part of the coalition.”
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