“It is astounding that just a few days ago, MK Maklev was decrying incitement against the Haredi community, and now he does not even think twice about leading a new wave of incitement against millions in Israel and the Diaspora. It is a shame that such inciting words were said within the walls of the Knesset, and even worse, in the name of the Torah.”
MK Rabbi Uri Maklev
Haredi MK Says Reform Jews “Bribe” Israeli Politicians
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Member of Knesset David Rotem of the joint of Likud-Beiteinu list, the chairman of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, attacked the Reform movement last week, calling it “another religion” that is “not Jewish.”
Rotem was sharply criticized by Diaspora Jewish leaders, some of whom called for him to be removed from his Knesset leadership position, and he quickly walked back those remarks.
Then, at the start of the committee’s meeting today, Rotem reportedly read a written apology.
“I had no intention of hurting anyone or the Reform movement. There were those who tried to twist my words into meaning that I did not believe that Reform Jews are Jewish. For me, any Reform Jew born to a Jewish mother is a Jew like any other. My intention was that I have deep differences with the Reform movement about practical matters related to Judaism. At the same time, considering that we are all Jews and members of the same religion, we need to solve these differences in discussions and conversations around the table. I apologize to anyone who may have been hurt,” Rotem reportedly read.
But, Ha’aretz reported, a haredi Member of Knesset, Rabbi Uri Maklev of the Ahskenazi haredi United Torah Judaism Party, refused to let the matter die.
Just minutes after Rotem read his apology, Maklev – who just days ago was lashing out at what he called secular “incitement” against haredim – lashed out at Rotem, insisting Rotem should not have retracted his statement and should not have apologized, especially because members of the Reform movement “put pressure on and bribe politicians,” Maklev averred.
This prompted the head of the Reform Movement in Israel, Rabbi Gilad Kariv, to call Maklev’s statement “libelous” and “inciting.”
“It is astounding that just a few days ago, MK Maklev was decrying incitement against the Haredi community, and now he does not even think twice about leading a new wave of incitement against millions in Israel and the Diaspora. It is a shame that such inciting words were said within the walls of the Knesset, and even worse, in the name of the Torah,” Kariv reportedly said.
Yizhar Hess, the director of the Masorti (Conservative) Movement in Israel who was stoned by haredim at the Kotel (Western Wall) several months ago, also lashed out at Maklev’s remarks, reportedly calling them “an incitement to kill.” He also reportedly urged the Knesset Ethics Committee to sanction Maklev unless Maklev issues a retraction.