'Facts must be presented.' Yishai
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Against discrimination. Rabbi Yosef
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Praying outside of court
Photo: Noam Moskowitz
Yishai: Seculars shouldn't preach us
In an interview with Shas journal, party chairman slams those who criticized his stand on Emmanuel discrimination affair, asks 'how many Sephardic judges does the High Court have? Are the haredim the only ones with racism?'
"Don't preach us," Shas Chairman Eli Yishai said Wednesday night in response to accusations that his faction "disappeared" during the racial segregation affair at the girls' school in Emmanuel, which reached the High Court and ended with dozens of fathers being sent to prison.
In an interview with Shas journal Day to Day, which will be fully published on Thursday, Yishai reiterated Shas' position as initially presented by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef a week ago, and objects discrimination – but supports a solution within the haredi community, without the involvement of the Supreme Court.
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Yishai also responded to all the criticism in recent days against racial discrimination in the haredi community, and urged them to first look at themselves. "The true facts must be presented once and for all," he said in the interview.
"The High Court only has one Sephardic judge, while the 14 others are Ashkenazim. None of the nine Supreme Court presidents were Sephardic, nor were any of the 12 prime ministers since the establishment of the State of Israel."
Yishai explained his decision to wave the ethnic argument: "When I spoke about anti-Sephardic discrimination, decision makers told me to keep the demon in the bottle. But when they speak of discrimination against haredim – they open these bottles as if they were champagnes," he said.
Emmanuel moms in High Court (Photo: Noam Moskowitz)
The interior minister continued to present his data: "Eight university presidents in Israel – none of which is Sephardic. nine Israeli Presidents, only two of which were Sephardic. 21 officers serving as generals – only six of them Sephardic – and the list goes on and on.
"Do you know that in all the Knesset's parties, from both the coalition and opposition, except for Shas, there is not a single Sephardic party leader? And they are preaching us that only haredim have discrimination and racism?" he exclaimed.
'Soon High Court will dictate our curriculum'
Yishai is taking steps to establish a rabbinical court that will deal with discrimination cases, and will be represented by both Sephardic and Ashkenazi judges. The initiative will prevent the haredi community from presenting its "dirty laundry" in front of all, and help avoid at all cost appealing to the Supreme Court."Immense damage has been inflicted on the people, and I do not know if it can be repaired. Radicalization of positions, display of force and dangerous legal precedents that may lead to harsh consequences in the future. Where have we reached? Imprisoning mothers and fathers just because they listened to their rabbis?" he said.
"Who can withstand the horrible sight of crying mothers who refuse to be separated from their kids, and the heartbreaking sob of the children? Today we let the court decide what schoolgirl to accept and tomorrow it will enter the world of yeshivas and interfere with the curriculum. What will be the end of it? I don't know," Yishai lamented.
