United Torah Judaism (UTJ) has written to the Central Election Committee asking
that it ban a Kadima advertising campaign that the haredi party claims is false
and constitutes incitement.
Kadima banners bear the slogan “NIS 350 for
soldiers, NIS 3,400 for yeshiva students,” referring to the monthly financial
disbursements paid by the state to IDF conscripts and full-time yeshiva
students, respectively.
UTJ chairman MK Yisrael Eichler, who filed the
complaint, wrote that the figure given for state funds provided to full-time
yeshiva students was “patently false,” and that the purpose of the advertisement
was to “arouse hostility and confrontation” with haredim.
“This will
cause hatred and even violence,” Eichler said.
There are currently some
45,000 full-time yeshiva students who receive NIS 828 a month from the
government.
Of these, approximately 10,000 also receive NIS 1,040 a month
in income support. Full-time yeshiva students are also entitled to other
benefits, such as discounts for National Insurance Institute contributions and
municipal taxes.
The Kadima campaign responded by saying it was proud to
lead the battle for equality in the burden of national service, and that it
planned to fight the UTJ appeal.
“We believe that whoever contributes
more and puts his life on the line for the country’s security needs should be
rewarded at least as much as yeshiva students,” campaign leaders said in a
statement. “We are not asking to take away an agora from anyone, but to give
more to those who contribute more – soldiers. As long as there isn’t equality in
the burden, there should at least be equality in money.”
Last week the
Dan and Egged bus cooperatives both refused to place Kadima’s banners on their
buses.
Egged said it would not allow its vehicles to be used as a
platform for negative advertisements that would make passengers
uncomfortable.
In response to Dan and Egged’s decision, the Kadima
campaign said the companies were coming out against IDF soldiers who bear the
burden of military service for the country, and whose bus travel represents “a
nice income for their owners.”
Kadima has taken Dan to court over the
issue, but Egged eventually agreed to use the party’s advertisements.