Comments made at some economic conference today have raised an interesting discussion.
A couple Haredi politicians made some comments that I think are fair. They encouraged PM Netanyahu to go all the way with the hostage deal, not to stop it before the second stage, but to bring all the hostages him, and that they would support him in doing so.
Minister Goldknopf said something a little more questionable, but mostly along the same lines. Goldknopf said Netanyahu is like Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt - we are fully behind you and with you. Goldknopf said "we do not know what is good and what is not good. Any deal you bring, we will be with you. We must free all the hostages, until the last one. We pray all the hostages should return home safely."
After these comments were made the criticism was fast in coming, and mostly from the National Religious. The Director General of the Hatzionut Hadatit party Yehuda Wald criticized saying this attitude of leaving notes with their votes and leaving the meeting (referring to the government meeting to approve the hostage deal on Friday night two weeks ago) is outrageous and calling for an end to the war knowing it means Hamas will strengthen itself and resupply and reorganize - we are the ones who are going to fight and die after the next massacre, not the Haredim!
Wald then accused the Haredim of cozying up to the "Left" and requesting a Haredi Draft Law that won't be harsh and significant, in exchange for submission to Hamas which is what the Left believes in.
The Haredim in return have responded saying they have held this position all along that they will support any hostage deal brought by Netanyahu as redeeming captives is the biggest of mitzvahs and it has nothing to do with the Draft Law.
First of all, the Left does not believe in submission to Hamas, even if they believe the war should be conducted differently in some aspects and if they look for a peaceful way to live together (which you can fairly and reasonably dispute is possible).
Second, Wald is talking like only the Dati Leumi are fighting in the war and having soldiers killed. Yes the Dati Leumi are, and in disproportional numbers, but they dont own the battlefield and they dont own the military funerals. They are fighting with and alongside all of Israel, true minus the Arabs and minus most Haredim, but alongside 85% of Israel..
Third, the Haredi politicians (always anonymously) have said over the past half year or so several times an end of the war would be good for them as it would loosen up the pressure on them about the draft issues. Formulating a draft law acceptable to them is difficult with the war ongoing. Is their support for a full hostage deal really motivated by it meaning the war will officially be over and they will subsequently be able to put together a more acceptable law proposal?
Fourth, the Draft Law is not dependent on the Left. We have a right wing government and they are having difficulty with the law regardless of the Left. And if the Left would form a government today, I do not believe they would be so forthcoming with an easy draft law in exchange for support. A few years ago they might have (and the Haredim claim such offers were made back then), but today, after October 7, it would not happen. Also, if the Haredim think it would happen just because it might have been offered a few years ago - they should have taken the deal then.
As an aside, back to my comment above about what Goldknopf said - I too did not like that they did not participate in the meeting and just left their votes on written slips of paper, even if we know because they said in advance they would support any deal brought by Netanyahu. As ministers it is their job and responsibility to hear the details and weigh the issues, not just to rely on someone else outsourcing the decisions - even if we know which way they are planning to vote.. What Goldknopf said today at the conference is more egregious than that. We dont know anything, we dont know what is goo and what is not good, we'll just rely on you. You are a minister and it is your job to be responsible and do due diligence and try to understand as much as possible what you are taking responsibility for. This is not the vaad bayit, the homeowners association, of your condo deciding whether to install a camera int he lobby or whether or not to plant more tulips in the building garden. The attitude of senior ministers who ultimately share responsibility for decisions made but outsource it with no interest in hearing details is preposterous.
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