Minister: Haredi extremists denigrate Torah

Justice Minister Ne'eman slams minority groups within haredi public who he claims 'turn their backs on Jewish people's important tasks'

Aviad Glickman|Published: 01.18.12 , 22:29

Justice Minister Yaakov Ne'eman on Wednesday criticized haredi extremists at a ceremony marking 25 years for the establishment of the Otniel hesder yeshiva.

"In times when the Torah is being denigrated by a few minority groups who turn their backs on the Jewish people's prime tasks, this hesder yeshiva is a symbol of how to combine Torah with public responsibility and sharing the burden and not just isolation and taking budgets."

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In the backdrop of plans to extend the Tal Law and the ever growing preoccupation with women's singing in the IDF, Ne'eman addressed the yeshiva students: "The Jewish people can be proud of combining Torah, work and army service for which you are an example. You serve not only in God's army but in the Israel Defense Forces."

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he was postponing the planned government discussion on the extension of the Tal Law, aimed at regulating yeshiva students' exemption from IDF service.

The Otniel ceremony was also attended by Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar who spoke out against an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank. "Any right minded person must reach the conclusion that we must in no uncertain terms continue the process of withdrawal which some call the peace process," he said. "The alternative is to keep on building the Land of Israel."

He added, "It's simple, where there is settlement there is the army and security, and once there is no settlement the army steps out and terrorists take over."