“A Military Coup Was Carried Out Against Netanyahu”

Orthodox lawmakers warns his party “will not remain coalition partners with people who bring an entire sector of society into disrepute.”

By Aviel Schneider | | Topics: Benjamin Netanyahu, Orthodox Jews
Orthodox Jewish lawmaker Yisrael Eichler says Netanyahu has lost control, and new elections might be necessary. Photo by Flash90

Yisrael Eichler, a lawmaker with the coalition party United Torah Judaism, prefers new elections to what is currently happening in the government, and asserts that Israel’s military elite carried out a coup against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Due to the this situation, Eichler said his party is reconsidering their place in the coalition, and that early elections should not be ruled out given that Netanyahu has effectively lost control. All of this was told by the longtime member of Knesset to the ultra-Orthodox news portal Hadrei Haredim. It is important that such voices are conveyed via Israel Today as well, for these are the sentiments of the nation’s ultra-Orthodox Jews, who have something to say about the spectacle surrounding controversial judicial reform and are increasingly concerned by secular criticism of their communities. They consider themselves equal citizens of Israel, even if they don’t serve in the army, don’t work, don’t pay taxes, and don’t take basic government education like math, history, English, etc.

Orthodox Jewish children on their first day of school. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

“The government must reassess our position in this coalition,” stressed Eichler. “If there are no reforms, if the issue of Orthodox Jewish military recruitment is not settled and if no budget is passed, we will have to reconsider what we are doing in this governing coalition,” he said. “Maybe we need to have elections again.” He dismissed criticism that the Orthodox Jewish position was selfish. “If Bibi were a true leader, he would pass judicial reform immediately, unless certain powers stage a military coup against him. And I say a military coup was carried out against him, he has no control,” he explained in reference to the refusal of some IDF reservists, including elite Air Force pilots, to report for duty in protest of judicial reform.

Eichler also fears that the ultr-Orthodox Jews could be deprived of the right to vote. On the right-wing Channel 14 News, journalist Nava Dromi said that “the Orthodox have become the ‘Jews’ of Israeli society,” a phenomenon that manifests in growing disdain for the Orthodox, sometimes even through antisemitic remarks.

Secular left-wing demonstrators argue with ultra-Orthodox Jews during a march in Bnei Brak, against the billions in funds provided to ultra-Orthodox parties in the state budget, on May 17, 2023. Photo by Flash90

Eichler’s party colleague Yaakov Asher told the opposition yesterday that anyone who contributes to the incitement and slander against Jewish Orthodoxy, regardless of which party they belong to, or those who remain silent in the face of it, will not be cleansed of their sins. Asher added: “We will not be coalition partners with people who discredit an entire sector of society simply because it is different from what they know. We will always take care of our Orthodox community in Israel.”

Can Orthodox Jews take care of themselves? Photo by Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90

Israel’s secular population only sees how the Orthodox parties receive over 13 billion shekels from the government coffers for their yeshivas and religious school system. “The Orthodox Jews only want money, money, money. That has always been the case,” said former member of the Knesset Daniel Ben Simon. “I can’t live with these people, just as they can’t live with me.” Popular television presenter Galit Gutmann caused a major stir when she said in a live Channel 12 broadcast at the weekend: “The Orthodox Jews are bloodsuckers. You have lost all shame. Enough is enough. You have to tell the truth as it is.” Of course, she had to apologize immediately after being accused of antisemitism.

Television presenter Galit Gutmann has angered the Orthodox population. Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

The Orthodox Jews see this as Jewish antisemitism and sense that this is a growing phenomenon in the nation. They also complain that their own coalition allies are not doing enough for them, especially not Netanyahu, who, according to Eichler and other Orthodox politicians, has ceded control. Whether or not this is true remains debatable. But that’s how the Orthodox Jews in the country feel at the moment.

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6 responses to ““A Military Coup Was Carried Out Against Netanyahu””

  1. Disciple 1978 says:
    May 22, 2023 at 12:43 pm

    He expresses an important opinion. After all the orthodox opinion drives Judaism. There’s is where the derivatives of Reform and Liberal Judaism come from, perhaps even messianic. However, he seems to be playing politics with it to secure their preferred position. We remember these sorts of politics throughout history. How its selfish concern creates a tribal culture that is just not neighbourly. Orthodoxy resisted Zionism but because it represents the core of Judaism it was often placated, even sacrificially. Israel, the Jewish State, has grown up, it now has a national identity that embraces a much broader range of expressions but still remains Jewish. Judaism’s many exiles now give it a global footprint, it must adapt to know how to glorify God among the nations. If Israel is telling them they are out of touch what do the nations think? God is never out of touch, but his people, Jewish and Christian, can be. They should listen to their critics.

  2. Vernon Ryan says:
    May 22, 2023 at 6:05 pm

    The world is on the brink of a seven year time frame, at the end of it, there will not be any kind of secularism left in the world. It could be said, secularism/unbelief, is now living on borrowed time.

  3. Masami Cobley says:
    May 22, 2023 at 6:17 pm

    I’ve been led to believe through a dream that the forming of the current Scripture-believing coalition government and their plan to bring Scripture into high school curriculum etc. are what the living God of Israel is doing. I knew that the ultra-Orthodox Jews were exempted from military service, but didn’t know that they don’t work, don’t pay tax and don’t study maths, history, English etc. Personally, I am surprised – especially as their population is the fastest growing in Israel. For them to expect the government to pay for all their growing needs forever seems unreasonable. Due to their importance in the nation, perhaps, the first child of every ultra-Orthodox household may be granted that level of privilege throughout their lives, but I feel that other siblings ought to receive other basic education as well and to contribute to defending the nation and to economy. Considering how difficult the position of Netanyahu is, I do feel he deserves our prayer support.

    • Steve Firefly says:
      May 22, 2023 at 8:11 pm

      Any reason why a first child should receive benefits and be exempt from tax for life? Didn’t Hashem often bypass the older for the younger? Able bodied adults should work, and those who love to study Torah should do so, in addition to providing for their families.

      • Masami Cobley says:
        May 23, 2023 at 6:07 pm

        I fully understand your logic. If it were here in UK, for example, it should be so. First child or younger is not the issue here. My sympathy for them comes from my belief that Yeshua Himself is gathering the remnant to the promised land and is slowing changing the nation that began as a secular state in 1948 into the one the God of Israel long promised to make, for His holy name’s sake. Yeshua is in the process of fulfilling Isaiah 49:6 and others. He is slowing opening the eyes of rabbis too. He is fully on the side of the remnant of Israel, so all things happening there are under His control. So, I would not pass quick judgement on what those scripture-believing leaders are saying.

  4. Annette Leon says:
    May 23, 2023 at 12:01 am

    Is Torah so complicated it has to be studied over and over again? To what end? Does Torah say these people should not do physical work ect?..The laws go back to the Bronze age. If the study is to bring Torah into the 21st Centuary it seems to me it is bogged down in how YESHUA saw and spoke of the Law to the Pharisees, ( so complicated the people could not live ) Not much seems to have changed. Sorry but it all seems rather Insane to me. 🤔🔯

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