Israel’s former defense minister and head of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party Avigdor Lieberman said yesterday that it was impossible to separate religion from the state in Israel.
Speaking at the Herzliya Conference, Lieberman said:
“When we talk about relations between religion and state, I say that religion must be separated from politics in the State of Israel. However, it is impossible to separate religion from the state.”
Israel’s head of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party Avigdor Lieberman says that it is impossible to separate religion from the state in Israel. pic.twitter.com/kf4RJyRDnT
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 3, 2019
In May, Lieberman opposed joining a government headed by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the ultra-Orthodox parties, which he called a “[Jewish law] government”, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported.
Lieberman and the ultra-Orthodox parties have been in a dispute over the military conscription bill which would force ultra-Orthodox men studying the Torah, who are currently exempt from service, to join the military.
Israel’s Lieberman attacks ultra-Orthodox in election video | #Palestine https://t.co/MvS57fxBth
— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) March 23, 2019
Lieberman yesterday criticized the pre-military preparatory programs of the religious community, saying “they are developing into private religious militias”.
Lieberman called to separate the pre-military academies from the Ministry of Education and put them under the full supervision of the defense ministry.
(Middle East Monitor, PC, Social Media)
