Ultra-Orthodox and Left-Wing Israelis Join Forces in Opposition
The odd-couple collaboration between the opposition ultra-Orthodox Yahadut HaTorah and left-wing Meretz might someday expand from their social justice struggle to diplomatic issues as well.
The event that took place in the halls of the Zionist Organization of America House in Tel Aviv about a month ago, on July 21, may have looked strange to an onlooker. The place was packed with dozens of [leftist] Meretz party members, while on the stage in front of them sat Knesset member Moshe Gafni, chairman of the ultra-Orthodox Yahadut HaTorah party, laying out his socioeconomic worldview. With giant signs sporting Meretz’s green logo behind him, Gafni, a prominent representative of Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox politics, felt at home.
The occasional applause signaled that he was, indeed, a welcomed and esteemed guest in these quarters. The sympathy of the audience was based on two things the ultra-Orthodox politician and the members of the left-wing party have in common: a socioeconomic worldview and abhorrence of Finance Minister Yair Lapid, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Economy and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett.
