"The path of the Government from the aspect of its Jewish and
religious character is clear. This is a Government whose
policies on religious and political issues are dictated by
the spirit of Meretz. This is a Government that desecrates
Shabbos in public and regards massive Shabbos desecration as
a technical issue. This is a Government that scorns sacred
Jewish values," according to Rabbi Meir Porush.
The comments were made in a discussion last week about the
Prime Minister's remarks at the opening session of the
Knesset.
Sharply criticizing the present Government, Rabbi Porush
noted that throughout history, "Shabbos was the factor which
united the Jewish Nation. Shabbos unified, saved and exalted
Jews, and this Government tramples it."
Rabbi Porush said that the Prime Minister's speech did not
succeed in concealing his Government's unsympathetic
tendencies. "It is known that each new government receives
100 days of mercy," Rabbi Porush said. "But there are no days
of mercy for a Government whose tenure is replete with
failures. The Prime Minster proceeds from crisis to crisis,
and has even lost the respect of his close colleagues in the
Government. In this case, even his public relations advisors
and speech writers will be of no avail.
"With respect to an IDF withdrawal from Lebanon, the Prime
Minster and the Deputy Security Minister make conflicting
statements. On the issue of negotiations with Syria, Foreign
Affairs Minster Levi and the Office of the Prime Minister
contradict each other. In less than forty days after the
elections, UTJ withdrew from the coalition. After sixty days,
the Prime Minster found himself in a dispute with Shas,
bordering on crisis. Ninety days after the elections, the
Prime Minster found himself at odds with the Infrastructure
Minister and the Interior Minister over reforms in
governmental offices. Less than one hundred days have passed,
and it is difficult to know where the Government is headed in
the areas of national security and socioeconomic issues.
Where are the jobs promised to alleviate the unemployment?
What new tidings do the Government's economic policies
convey?" Rabbi Porush asked.
