MK Yaakov Asher (Degel HaTorah) has accused Israeli Supreme Court Deputy President Justice Noam Solberg of using his position on the bench to wage an ideological battle between the chareidi and Religious Zionist communities over the military draft law and the broader relationship between religion and the state.

Speaking in an interview with Kikar HaShabbat, Asher argued that although Solberg is considered a conservative justice, he has long held ideological differences with the Haredi community.

“Here we have a conservative judge today—Justice Noam Solberg—but he has had ideological disagreements with us from the very beginning,” Asher said. “He is using his judicial seat to educate us according to the values by which he educates his own children.”

According to Asher, Solberg’s rulings are driven by his deeply held beliefs rather than personal animosity toward the chareidi community.

“He’s a human being, not an angel. Solberg is not an angel, and Amit certainly isn’t an angel. It’s clear that he comes from a place of deep conviction on this issue. Anyone who is not chareidi and is not connected to our faith, our guidance, and the worldview of our rabbonim finds it difficult to understand.”

Asher added that the long-running ideological divide between the Religious Zionist and Haredi communities over issues of religion and state has become increasingly prominent.

“Especially now that the longstanding disagreement between the Religious Zionist community and the chareidi community over how to view religion and the state has become public, I can appreciate him on a personal level. He is someone who truly does not come from a place of hatred or anything of that sort, but he does come with his own ideology.”

Asher concluded by saying that judges do not shed their personal beliefs simply because they wear judicial robes.

“People come to work wearing a robe; they don’t become angels. He has a disagreement with us. He was raised according to the teachings of different rabbonim.”

{Matzav.com}