In response to the dark wave of incitement these days against the chareidi public, and the recurring declarations from the party heads of Habayit Hayehudi and Yesh Atid regarding their outspoken intention to strike at bnei Torah, the MKs from Degel HaTorah have taken an adamant stand not to allow any compromise or give an inch in the battle for Torah.
In a meeting with the editors of Hebrew Yated Ne'eman about current issues, MK Rabbi Uri Maklev revealed for the first time that the Hesder institutions actually benefit twice: once from money allocated by the Education Ministry and also from a budget dispensed by the Defense Ministry. "The people from Habayit Hayehudi are trying to establish criteria whereby only institutions encouraging military service for their students can receive government funds. The apparent conclusion is that they will transfer funds heretofore granted to yeshivos directly to their institutions.
"We will show the whole world what a farce is their concept of sharing the national defense burden," MK Rabbi Gafni declared. "The billions which the government expends on the settlements and the Hesder institutions without justification are the very sums which are taxing the national treasury and are responsible for budget cuts in more important areas. If we detect even a slight blow to the Torah public, we will declare an all-out war and expose a great deal of discomfiting and embarrassing facts."
MK Rabbi Yaakov Asher added that the only likely logical connection between the political parties Habayit Hayehudi and Yesh Atid is their hatred of the Torah world. "What Habayit Hayehudi fails to understand is that Yesh Atid's declared plan is to change the entire character of this country. Though at the present time, it is more pragmatic for them to embrace the Dati Leumi public, at the next step, that group's turn will surely come and they will be under attack."
