-- Minister of Communications (outgoing) Yoaz Hendel, in an interview to Kikar Shabbos

I would note, Hendel was part of a government that established itself as dependent on a non-Zionist party (RAAM). I like Hendel but he is either being disingenuous and maybe hypocritical about this, or he has changed his opinion based on the experiences of the last government.

Hendel sounds like he discovered America, saying the Haredim are not Zonists. They never claimed to be, and they have only always said otherwise. Even though they have joined Zionist institutions where they even had to declare themselves Zionists (like WZO), and serve as full members of government, some of them even takign ministerial positions.

  -- Minister of Communications Yoaz Hendel, sending the "kosher phone reform" officially into effect....

The Haredi askanim keep saying we want the kosher phones and this is damaging to us. Nobody is stopping them from using the kosher phones. Whoever actually wants it can continue to use it. A reasonable compromise could have been to allow porting of kosher numbers only to other ksher lines with other companies (previously no porting was allowed at all) but even with the allowing of porting to a regular number, anyone who wants a kosher line can keep it kosher. The community control has been lessened (I say lessened because I am sure some askanim will find a way to retain some control and to require it in the community) but if people actually want it as they say, they are welcome to continue using kosher phones and still benefit from cheaper prices on the packages..

Today, in discussing the kerfuffle with the Chief Rabbi Rav David Lau and Minister of Religious Affairs Matan Kahane over the possible termination of employment of the deputy head of the conversion services, Minister of Communications Yoaz Hendel said people who have served in the army are more Jewish than those who did not serve.

Presumably he is referring to the many non-Jews in the army who go through the conversion process. Most of them have a Jewish father but not mother and were raised Jewish even though they arent really, and other forms of zera yisrael. Hauser was probably saying this as an explanation of why they should be pushed through the system in an easier fashion or quicker than standard. I am not sure what his point was, but that is what he said. 

Hauser does not get to decide who is more Jewish than whom, and based on what criteria. Serving in the army might make you more Israeli, in some ways from a cultural perspective perhaps, but it does not make you more Jewish.

Too many people think they have authority over Judaism. Keep your hands off.