MK Moshe Gafni: “We Will Not Support the State Budget Unless the Draft Law Passes – The Message Was Also Delivered to Prime Minister Netanyahu”
In a wide-ranging and unusually blunt interview, Moshe Gafni, chairman of Degel HaTorah, made clear that the chareidi parties will not vote in favor of the state budget unless legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students is passed first. Speaking with Yishai Cohen of Kikar HaShabbat, Gafni said the position has already been conveyed directly to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.
“Will we vote for the budget without a draft law? No. The answer is no,” Gafni said. “That is what we heard from our rabbanim. First there must be a law — not even just a first reading. This is the message we also delivered to the prime minister. Everyone knows it.”
Gafni devoted significant attention to the petition filed by Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, which challenges the transfer of funds to chareidi educational institutions and demands stricter state oversight of core curriculum studies.
“He has completely lost his bearings,” Gafni charged, arguing that salary payments to educational institutions have historically been approved in this manner for years — including during Lapid’s own tenure as finance minister. “All salaries were always paid on time. Many times, until the Treasury brings the transfer to the Finance Committee and the committee approves it, the salaries are already paid. He did the same thing himself.”
Gafni lashed out at Lapid in unusually harsh language, accusing him of singling out chareidi institutions while ignoring similar funding transfers to state-religious schools. “Everything connected to the chareidi public — he has something to say, and he says it aggressively. He wants the money returned. There has never been such a thing. He lost all restraint. His main goal is to bring down this government. Who is he anyway? Zero.”
Addressing recent rulings and judicial conduct, Gafni said the behavior of the Supreme Court of Israel toward the chareidi public has pushed the chareidi factions to actively support judicial reform legislation.
“Today they are doing it openly,” he said. “There is no justice here, no fairness, nothing equal, only against the chareidim. Now we are voting for laws to reduce their power and limit their ability to influence.”
Responding to criticism that he has spoken against the right-wing government, Gafni rejected ideological labels. “We are not right and we are not left,” he said. He accused elements within the right, including factions in Likud and Religious Zionism, of adopting narratives created by the left in order to undermine the coalition — particularly surrounding the draft law.
“They promised to make our lives bitter because we went with Netanyahu,” Gafni said. “From time to time you hear voices on the right repeating claims that were invented to bring down this government.”
Gafni also addressed growing tensions within United Torah Judaism, warning that disagreements with Agudas Yisrael could threaten the joint framework ahead of elections. He accused Agudah of violating a written agreement requiring a resignation to allow MK Yitzchak Pindrus to enter the Knesset.
“They are not honoring the agreement — black on white,” he said. “If someone thinks Agudah has four mandates and we have three, they should wake up quickly from that dream. They are endangering the possibility of running together.”
On his ongoing dispute with Shas chairman Aryeh Deri over control of the Yerushalayim Religious Council, Gafni said Degel HaTorah is at least as strong as Shas in the capital and cannot be sidelined. “You cannot act as if one side takes over the entire system,” he said. “We also have agreements.”
Asked about Arab parties announcing opposition to the draft law, Gafni rejected claims of any political alliance. “There was never a pact between Tibi and Gafni,” he said. “I believe there is a halachic obligation to preserve the rights of all communities living in Israel. Sometimes I ask Arab MKs to support us, sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. When the vote comes, we will try to speak with whoever is possible so they do not vote against us.”
Gafni also reiterated his opposition to the death penalty for terrorists promoted by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, warning against populist legislation that could further inflame tensions.
{Matzav.com}
