MK Yaakov Asher of United Torah Judaism delivered a forceful speech in the Knesset plenum, arguing that Israel’s continued existence depends on its commitment to Torah and Jewish tradition and warning that the growing embrace of secularism poses a greater long-term danger than external enemies.

During his remarks, Asher questioned why the Jewish people chose to settle in a region marked by such complex geopolitical challenges, answering that the nation’s presence in the Land of Israel is rooted in Hashem’s promise to the Jewish people.

“Our deed to this land is the Torah,” Asher declared, adding that the Jewish people’s right to the land is accompanied by an obligation to observe the Torah’s commandments and laws.

Asher also criticized what he described as increasing hostility toward Israel’s religious and chareidi communities, arguing that there is widespread incitement and disrespect directed at those who observe Torah and mitzvos. He pointed to expressions that have been used against chareidim, including references to “mezuzah kissers and grave worshippers,” saying such rhetoric reflects contempt for matters of holiness.

He went on to compare the public discourse in Israel with that of leaders in other countries, asserting that many world leaders openly speak about faith in G-d, while some Israeli public officials have avoided doing so for years.

Concluding his address, Asher recounted what he described as a lengthy conversation with an Iranian intellectual, who claimed that Israel’s enemies view the country as lacking sufficient faith.

“That is the real danger facing the State of Israel,” Asher said. “When people stand at this podium and belittle the Torah, halachah, and the mitzvos, that is the true existential threat to the State of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}