Moshe Gafni launched a fierce public attack Wednesday against Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over the continued delay in approving tax benefits for charitable organizations, accusing her of acting beyond her authority and targeting chareidi institutions.

The Degel HaTorah chairman also called on the head of Israel’s Tax Authority to ignore the attorney general’s position and move forward with bringing the matter before the Knesset Finance Committee for approval.

The dispute centers around Section 46 of Israel’s tax ordinance, which grants tax deductions to donors who contribute to approved nonprofit organizations. The benefit has long served as a major incentive for donations to various charitable and religious institutions, including many chareidi organizations.

Baharav-Miara previously ruled that the state should stop providing direct or indirect support to certain chareidi nonprofit groups through the approval of these tax-exempt donation benefits.

Reacting angrily to the move, Gafni accused the attorney general of abusing her position.

“This woman, Baharav-Miara, does whatever she wants as though the country belongs to her. She is harming hundreds of third-sector organizations waiting for approval under Section 46,” Gafni declared.

According to Gafni, efforts had quietly been underway for weeks in an attempt to resolve the matter and secure approval for the organizations through the Finance Committee.

“For many weeks we worked quietly in order to find a solution to the issue and approve the organizations in the Finance Committee, but unfortunately without success,” he said. “Everything is only because she decided they must not be approved, in a decision that is blatantly unlawful.”

Gafni then issued a direct appeal to the head of the Tax Authority, urging officials to bypass the attorney general’s objections.

“I call on the head of the Tax Authority not to listen to her and to bring the matter for discussion and approval by the Finance Committee in accordance with the law,” he said.

He concluded with an especially harsh accusation against Baharav-Miara, stating: “Hatred has clouded her judgment.”