Two leading Israeli political commentators delivered a blistering critique of the chareidi parties during a heated discussion on Kol Chai Radio, accusing their leaders of political infighting, missed opportunities, and a failure to unite at a time of unprecedented challenges facing the Torah world.

During a segment on the station’s flagship news program, political analysts Avi Blum and Avi Ravina painted a grim picture of the state of chareidi politics, revealing internal tensions, a reportedly explosive conversation between Aryeh Deri and Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, and what they described as a breakdown in the ability of the chareidi parties to advance crucial legislation.

Ravina opened by disclosing details of what he described as a particularly tense exchange between Deri and Netanyahu.

“I am reporting here on a difficult, tense, and unusually emotional conversation that took place between Shas chairman Aryeh Deri and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu,” Ravina said. “Deri threw harsh words at Netanyahu and told him directly: ‘You have nothing left to sell us. We do not have an ounce of trust in you anymore.’ The leaders of the chareidi parties understand that they are reaching the end of the term completely empty-handed. The atmosphere in the internal meetings of Shas and United Torah Judaism is described as tense and desperate. The politicians understand they have nothing to bring to the chareidi public ahead of the elections.”

Ravina also dismissed suggestions that major legislation could still be passed before the Knesset dissolves, arguing that the timeline makes such promises unrealistic.

“Who exactly do they think they are fooling?” he asked. “For two full years of a fully right-wing government, they received dozens of deadlines from Netanyahu, believed him time and again, and suffered complete failure. Now, less than a month before the Knesset officially dissolves on July 17, when these laws have not even passed a first reading and are still in preliminary committee stages—they are suddenly going to pass complex Basic Laws within three weeks? That is simply not realistic from a procedural standpoint, and the clear feeling within the coalition is that Netanyahu and the chareidi parties have completely lost control of the situation.”

Attorney and political commentator Avi Blum reserved some of his sharpest criticism not for Netanyahu but for the chareidi parties themselves, rejecting the notion that the prime minister alone should bear responsibility for the legislative stalemate.

“Blaming Netanyahu for ‘divide and conquer’ does an injustice to ourselves,” Blum said. “The chareidi politicians are dividing themselves and handing him that division on a silver platter. We are talking about an existential threat to the Torah world—yeshiva students are being arrested in large numbers, the decrees have reached even the large Gur chassidus, and yet how is it possible that, until this very moment, the party leaders are incapable of sitting around one table and presenting a united front?”

Blum argued that personal rivalries and political calculations have prevented progress even when workable solutions have been placed on the table.

“Aryeh Deri put forward an excellent emergency bill to stop the arrests, one that does not require quotas or sanctions. But because it is Deri’s bill, people in United Torah Judaism refuse to give him credit for it. Degel HaTorah is dragging its feet. On the other hand, Agudas Yisroel is proposing a bill to dissolve the Knesset without coordinating with anyone. It is an unbelievable absurdity that, during the most fateful days for the yeshiva world, the offices of chareidi lawmakers are busy leaking against one another and throwing mud at each other.”

Blum concluded with an especially harsh rebuke of the political leadership, saying the public would not easily forgive what he views as a failure to rise above personal interests.

“For this conduct, for this inability to put egos aside, there is no forgiveness and no atonement from the chareidi public. The public is bleeding and in pain, while the representatives are fighting over press coverage and political credit.”

{Matzav.com}