MK Meir Porush, chairman of the Shlomei Emunim faction, launched a scathing attack on the Religious Zionist Party, accusing it of undermining efforts to protect bnei Torah through proposed draft legislation and warning that its leaders fail to recognize where the political left will ultimately turn its attention.

Speaking in an interview with Kikar HaShabbat, Porush sharply criticized the party’s opposition to portions of legislation intended to safeguard full-time Torah learners.

“You’d think everything is perfect over there. You’d think everyone there serves 32 months and that all the girls serve,” Porush said. “They don’t understand that once the left finishes with us, they’ll come after them. The shame of the Religious Zionist Party is that it’s a party barely scraping the electoral threshold, yet it tries to dictate positions to Bibi and everyone else.”

Porush then invoked the historical position of the Brisker Rov regarding cooperation with the Religious Front, arguing that the current political tensions reflect a long-standing ideological divide.

“We all know who they are. We’ve known this story for 60 years,” he said. “The Rabbi of Brisk would not allow joining the Religious Front because he said, ‘The Mizrachi is the worst.’ They’ll tell you, ‘We’re with you,’ and in the end they hurt you.”

Continuing his criticism, Porush questioned why Religious Zionist lawmakers oppose benefits sought by the chareidi community while, he said, the chareidim do not interfere with issues important to the settlement movement.

“You see it yourself. What’s bothering them? Are we harming anyone in the settlement movement?” he asked. “They’re upset that our mothers should receive daycare assistance. At every step they hurt us—a party that’s barely scraping past the electoral threshold.”

{Matzav.com}