Degel HaTorah announced Sunday night the postponement of its
no-confidence motion that had been scheduled for Monday based
on directions from gedolei Yisroel shlita.
Maranan verabonon decided that the no confidence motion
should be pushed off for now after Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon showed initiative and sensitivity in rectifying the
problems in education, religious services and Shabbos
desecration through several of his ministers as well as talks
with various ministry officials involved in these matters who
were instructed to find solutions and show sensitivity toward
the chareidi sector.
Based on instructions by gedolei Yisroel Degel HaTorah
had tabled a no confidence motion last week due to the
government's "harm to the [chareidi] education system, the
cancellation of the [hot lunch] program for chareidi
students, acts of Shabbos desecration and harm to religious
services."
MKs Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz and Rabbi Moshe Gafni told Yated
Ne'eman about the reasons behind the no confidence motion
in greater detail. In the area of education, the government
failed to implement the coalition agreement and has not set
up a committee to preserve the independence of chareidi
education. On the issue of Shabbos they cited recent
instances of chilul Shabbos in which observant soldiers
were ordered to desecrate Shabbos unnecessarily as part of
efforts associated with the Disengagement Plan. Meanwhile the
religious status quo and citizenship laws are being eaten
away.
On the issue of religious services political appointments
have become rampant, the rabbonim and the religious council
workers have been harmed and an attempt is being made to turn
to the state court system regarding a clearly halachic matter
in Jerusalem.
Maranan verabonon also instructed the party to support
last week's vote to postpone the implementation of the
Disengagement Plan. The move was soundly defeated in a
preliminary reading. Maranan verabonon and Degel
HaTorah were fully aware their vote would have no influence,
since there was a clear majority opposed to the proposal.
