If you understand Hebrew (or body language), you can watch Israel’s new finance minister, Yair Lapid of the upstart Yesh Atid party, savor his electoral victory and rub it in the face of political opponents right and left — but primarily the haredi Orthodox parties. Lapid’s speech, his first in the new Knesset, came on Monday in response to six no-confidence motions against the new government (they failed to pass).
Among Lapid’s broadsides against Meir Porush of United Torah Judaism: You said you’re worried about the drop in the percentage of Israelis being drafted into the military. You?! Don’t you worry about that: We’ll find plenty of new draftees in your own backyard… You always complain about Israelis hating haredim; Israelis don’t hate you. They just don’t want you in the governing coaltion. It’s called democracy. We’re finished taking orders from you.
Watch the video:
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
