National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is taking a shower of cold water from the right side of the political map on Tuesday following his initiative to hold a prayer on Thursday evening in Dizengoff Square in response to Yom Kippur events there. His coalition colleagues, opinion leaders and journalists are speaking out against the initiative and calling on him to give it up.
In addition, this evening the Tel Aviv Municipality issued an invitation to the "Jewish Head" association for a hearing before canceling the permits granted for events requested by the association in the public space during the Sukkot holiday. This is in light of the violation of municipal guidelines and the court's decision at the Yom Kippur event.
Tel Aviv Municipality, Photo: Gideon Markowitz
Shas chairman and Ben-Gvir's coalition partner, MK Aryeh Deri, was interviewed by Knesset TV and said: "Let them pray in the synagogues, we don't need unnecessary wars and we don't need anything else." To the interviewer's question, "Are you going to call on Ben-Gvir to refrain from this move?", Deri answered with a question of his own: "Do you think it would help if I called him?!"
Deri against Ben-Gvir's prayer: "Let them pray in the synagogues, we don't need unnecessary wars" // Photo: Knesset Channel
Another name that stood out in his reaction against Ben-Gvir's move was Constitution Committee Chairman MK Simcha Rotman, who wrote: "Itamar, your intentions are desirable but your actions are undesirable."
MK Ohad Tal of Religious Zionism also said: "Itamar, show responsibility and cancel the event on Thursday. Prayer shouldn't be a battleground, period. Judaism will not be built on this unnecessary provocation. Don't give the handful of rioters legitimacy for their actions."
Even Ben-Gvir's former party partner, MK Michael Ben-Ari, spoke out against Ben-Gvir's initiative, writing, "To turn a prayer into a fight in the first place? Who benefits from this?"
Itamar, your intentions are desirable but your actions are undesirable.
There is no doubt that the action of a small and violent minority that attacked worshippers on Yom Kippur is heartbreaking for all of us, but the response to the provocation of the extremist and noisy progressive minority that does not want a Jewish and democratic state here is not a counter-provocation that will lead to an expansion of the flames and hatred >>> https://t.co/cTjrku3rNk
— Simcha Rothman (@rothmar) September 26, 2023
Tuvia Smotrich, the Finance Minister's brother, also wrote that "time and time again, Ben-Gvir is the rejected child of the class who one day returned to the neighborhood of Brion. A populist with zero national responsibility who cares nothing but self-aggrandizement. His rise to the forefront is perhaps the most disastrous result for Israeli society of the boycott of Bibi and the disruption it has created in Israeli democracy.
Right-wing commentators also attacked Ben-Gvir and called not to join the prayer organized by the minister. Commentator Yaakov Bardugo said on Israel Radio: "I call on everyone, don't follow Itamar Ben-Gvir. Don't come to an evening prayer in Dizengoff Square to start a civil war. Itamar, you're warmongering right now – leave it and go mess around in your office."
Just before the fast begins: Clashes at Dizengoff Square over gender segregation during Kippur prayers // Photo: Eitan Elhadez/TPS
Journalist Erel Segal also wrote that "the initiative to pray in Dizengoff Square on Thursday is completely unnecessary.
An event that will breathe oxygen into a dying protest. The pictures from Tel Aviv shock any decent person and echo an enormous rift, but repentance in the form of a prayer of defiance will not strengthen Judaism but will give grounds to distance itself further. Tenacity is a virtue, but a virtue."
Former national team goalkeeper Dudu Evat wrote to Ben-Gvir: "Shame on you Itamar. It felt at first that you came to work, the public trusted you, but come on, you destroyed it. You can't fight to excuse failures, you're everyone's homeland security minister. The minister responsible for maintaining public order cannot organize protests and demonstrations. Please don't go."
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