Bennett's statement - and the storm that angered the opposition:
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said today (Tuesday) that "the political influence of the ultra-Orthodox should be limited."
"In Israel, there are actually three political forces: a national force, which you would completely say is the right, the global humanist approach that you would call the left and religious values - ultra-Orthodox and Orthodox," Bennett said at the Jerusalem Post conference.
"In reality, we actually need the three vectors. We are the Jewish state, I'm glad there are ultra-Orthodox, but we need to limit their political influence. I would not want Israel without the left."
This immediately angered members of the opposition.
The chairman of Religious Zionism, MK Bezalel Smutrich, tweeted: "A politician with six seats who stole the prime ministerial government by fraud seeks to reduce the influence of sixteen seats. Some lack of awareness in one sentence."
An illegitimate prime minister with six seats, who in all polls scratches the blocking percentage and represents only himself, wants to limit the influence of the ultra-Orthodox who represent a million people.
Bennett, every scam has an end.
The day will come when a government will be formed to represent the will of the people, including the ultra-Orthodox public, which received 16 seats in the last election.
- Arie Makhlouf Deri (@ariyederi) October 12, 2021
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri: "An illegitimate prime minister with six seats, who in all polls scratches the blocking percentage and represents only himself, wants to limit the influence of the ultra-Orthodox representing a million people. Bennett, every scam has an end. To represent the will of the people, including the ultra-Orthodox public that received 16 seats in the last election
MK Yaakov Litzman (Torah Judaism): “When Bennett talks about the need to limit the ultra-Orthodox influence, he forgets how much he used it for his political needs and for the public he represented in the past.
At the time, in the not-too-distant past when he needed 'ultra-Orthodox influence' he knew how to beg for her help.
It is said that you say 'Pen Yerba', and we say 'Yes Yerba' ".
A politician with six seats who stole the prime ministerial government by fraud seeks to reduce the influence of sixteen seats.
Some lack of awareness in one sentence.
pic.twitter.com/cnOdEQW2jh
Bezalel Smutrich (@bezalelsm) October 12, 2021
MK Ophir Sofer (Religious Zionism): "As part of the abandonment of ideology alongside the fact that it has no target audience in the elections, Bennett begins to steal ideology from the torch.
So far this has been done through his messenger, Matan Kahana.
This morning, Bennett also does not hide his new positions. "