"People are constantly asking me, `How can you be in favor of
disengagement or abstain? How can such a thing be when Eretz
Yisroel is at stake?' And I ask: `We are in an administration
in which representatives of the settlers sat--HaIchud
HaLeumi, the NRP and very large segments of the Likud
consisting of very traditional people--in a single coalition
with Shinui, which hoisted the banner of total revolt against
Toras Yisroel, something that has never been done by any
party in the Knesset. So how can you come and preach to us?"
demanded MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni, of MKs representing the right
and the settlers.
These harsh words were delivered during a recent plenum
session on the disengagement plan. Rabbi Gafni engaged in a
lengthy dispute with the representatives of the right and the
settlers, taking them to task for participating in the Shinui-
Sharon government and for not resigning following the severe
harm done to Toras Yisroel, the Torah world and bnei
Torah families, but only over the disengagement plan.
Rabbi Gafni protested the right's misplaced priorities,
saying Eretz Yisroel distorted their logic and blinded them
so that they dedicated themselves to Eretz Yisroel at the
expense of the entire Torah.
"Here, in the Knesset of Israel, you --the Prime Minister,
HaIchud HaLeumi, Effi Eitam and Zevulun Orlev-- joined the
party that takes away from us every claim on Eretz Yisroel
for it says, `Im bechukosai teleichu . . . venosati sholom
bo'oretz.' You come to preach to us on this question? You
wanted the kind of coalition that would make the Jewish
people unsustainable. Eretz Yisroel is a very important value
in Judaism, but not the most important value. Who is
preaching to us? Who? HaIchud HaLeumi? The NRP? Effi Eitam?
Yitzchak Levy? The part of the Likud that really is made up
of traditionalists?
" . . . Along comes a party to the Knesset with one thing to
say: No to Toras Yisroel. The Likud joined them.
HaIchud HaLeumi joined them. The NRP joined them. And today
they are preaching to us? Parshas Hashavua? Eretz
Yisroel?
"As far as I'm concerned of supreme importance and the
foremost priority is for there to be an Am Yisroel. This is
the foremost thing and the connection--both when we were in
the Diaspora and today--between a Jew in China and a Jew in
Poland and a Jew in Morocco and a Jew in Tunisia and a Jew in
Canada is the platform of Am Yisroel whose language
is, `Shema Yisroel Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echod'
"And this is the platform the coalition wanted to eliminate.
And the settlers sat in it. They did not resign because of
Toras Yisroel. They resigned because of Eretz
Yisroel, which is secondary in importance. So I ask that
you stop preaching to us."
Later Rabbi Gafni also addressed the general public saying,
"The majority hasn't turned [to me to ask how we could vote
in favor or abstain], the majority realizes what gedolei
Yisroel say, we do. But there are those who contact us
and ask, `How can you vote one way or the other?' And I am
addressing these people in asking `Where were they when we
stood here and cried up to the heavens when they sought to
annihilate the Jewish people spiritually? Why didn't I
receive faxes then? Why didn't I receive phone calls then?
Why? Why, back then, did you not remove HaIchud HaLeumi from
this coalition? Why wasn't the NRP removed? Why did Effi
Eitam resign only when the disengagement plan began? Is there
no Toras Yisroel, chas vecholiloh? Why did Orlev
remain? Why did you in the Likud agree to this? Do you call
yourself a party that represents the traditional public? Is
everything permitted? So don't preach to us. Our path is
clear."
