Harsh attack within ultra-Orthodox parties against Goldknopf

Housing Minister Goldknopf has been threatening for over six months that he will topple the government if the Draft Law doesn't pass. A few weeks ago, the threat proved to be an empty trial balloon with nothing behind it, since officially no Hasidic representative has joined him so far, and meanwhile Shas and Degel HaTorah announced they would not join in any case. So even if he withdraws with another representative, it has no real significance for the coalition. But despite all the claims that have arisen, Goldknopf claims that he represents the prevalent position in the Ultra-Orthodox public.

As previously reported extensively in Kikar HaShabbat about two months ago, the 'Agudat Yisrael' faction announced that despite the conversation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Housing Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf, the Hasidic faction members would vote against laws related to the state budget until passing a law regulating the status of yeshiva students. In the Gur Hasidism's newspaper, 'HaModia', it was written that faction members clarify that the decision stands and that they will vote against the Trapped Profits Law.

The Hasidic newspaper further clarified that the decision to vote against the budget is not due to a desire to topple the government, but because the status of yeshiva students has not yet been regulated. The Knesset members of 'Agudah' further explained the decision to vote against: "Throughout the two years since the government was formed, we have been repeatedly put off with promises that the law would be arranged and the status of Torah learners whose Torah is their occupation would be secured. Each time we responded to promises, froze our demands, and in all cases, the promises were not kept."

But since that threat, Netanyahu's office managed to rearrange the complex chessboard within the Hasidic faction, and everyone began to distance themselves from Goldknopf and present different positions, mainly because of concerns about the planned Draft Law - which Goldknopf insists on despite widespread opposition in the Ultra-Orthodox factions to the law.

As of today, even if Goldknopf decides to withdraw, it's still unclear whether anyone besides one person in the faction will join the withdrawal. Even Degel HaTorah does not intend to leave the government now, and of course neither does Shas. In both major parties, the Torah sages have decided that the right thing to do now is to remain in the government, so it's not clear how real Goldknopf's threat is.

So why do the other factions oppose the law that would regulate the status of yeshiva students? To remind you, the Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon clarified in recent discussions in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and so did Committee Chairman Elkin in statements, that sanctions would be imposed on each yeshiva student personally if 50 percent of the Torah world doesn't enlist, which seemingly leaves the Ultra-Orthodox factions on the outs.

In Prime Minister Netanyahu's office, enormous pressure is being applied to the Ultra-Orthodox factions - not to insist on the law, since the current law is not supported by the entire coalition anyway and has almost no chance of passing.

In Netanyahu's circle, they hint to the Ultra-Orthodox Knesset members that if they wait a bit longer, and hopefully the war will be behind us and tensions will calm, there will be an opportunity to pass a Draft Law much better for the Ultra-Orthodox sector that everyone can live with peacefully, unlike the current law, which also faces strong opposition within the Ultra-Orthodox public.

Sources in United Torah Judaism are briefing behind the scenes against Goldknopf today and explain that "he has no public responsibility and what interests him is only his public, despite being explained that insisting on the law will only cause irreversible damage to the Ultra-Orthodox public."

"We," explain sources in United Torah Judaism, "unlike him who acts only for a certain and specific sector, have basic public responsibility. There's no way to advance such a law in its current state, so before he presents himself as the savior and rescuer of the Torah world, and as one who cries out in the name of the Torah world, let him tell the public for a moment - really... what is he promoting."

Why don't they publicly come out against Goldknopf and prefer to hide under confidentiality? According to them: "Since he is leading a terrible campaign on the backs of the Ultra-Orthodox representation - as if he were an oppositionist from the extreme factions, there is no choice but to expose his face and his goals."

In the second Ultra-Orthodox party - Shas, they are not exactly happy with Goldknopf's behavior either and say: "It was initially agreed that the issue of the draft would not arise until the war subsided, despite the option that there would be deserters and other crises of this kind."

According to them: "What and who is he complaining about? Netanyahu did indeed fail at the beginning of his term by not advancing the law, but that was because they wanted to advance other laws, and Goldknopf agreed to that at the time. Currently, there's no point in coming with complaints to Netanyahu. He has a party and coalition that is partly thirsty for the blood of yeshiva students in the name of equality."

They further add: "If today he was dealing with a severe economic crisis in the country, it would be clear that it would take time until coalition funds were returned, etc. The same applies here; when the war ends, the law will be handled, and the Attorney General and other issues will be addressed. Meanwhile, according to the threats, he really resembles Ben Gvir."

Sources in 'Agudat Yisrael' - which there are claims that they are on the same axis with Goldknopf, chuckle in conversation with 'Kikar HaShabbat' and say: "He is the man who has created the most damage to the Ultra-Orthodox public since the beginning of the war. In the toughest days of the war, he was the one who made sure to remind the secular public that he demands a law that exempts the Torah world from service... Who did that benefit? He only caused damage, and we are paying its fruits, and now he wraps himself in a ridiculous pious cloak of concern for the yeshiva world."

On the other hand, in Goldknopf's circle, they don't understand what the commotion is about and why the anger is coming out especially now, because after all, Goldknopf is executing the Gur Rebbe's wishes, who wants to advance the Draft Law, and therefore, if representatives have problems, they should approach the Rebbe and not the messenger who carries out his holy will. According to them, "Goldknopf is the 'Shabbos Goy' of all the Ultra-Orthodox parties, he says out loud what everyone says quietly, he is the one who ultimately cares for the Torah world and the truth is that there is nothing to do in such a government."