Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich began tearing up during a speech at a press conference before his party meeting on Monday.
Smotrich lamented the tide of deaths of IDF soldiers in the last few days but said that particular attention should be paid to their ideals.
He said that the price of the war was being paid disproportionately by the Religious Zionist community.
“In recent days, we see, read, and hear about heartbreaking stories of the fallen, including many reservists, including elders, fathers of many children, religious and secular, kibbutzniks and settlers, but we cannot ignore the fact that the religious Zionist community is paying a price disproportionate to its size in the population, the heaviest prices in this war.”
Slander against religious Zionists
Smotrich began to attack the “slander,” which attempts to discredit his community as ” lovers of death, messianists, delusional.”
He claimed that these slanders came from the extreme fringes of Israeli society and that the majority of Israelis reject these slurs against his community and denounce those who say them.
Smotrich emphasized that the “overwhelming” majority of Israelis “cherish and appreciate” the religious Zionist community’s contribution.
“Today, more than ever, I am proud to be a part of this community, proud to promote the world of Torah, educational institutions, settlement, cooperation, and piety. This is the environment from which arise those courageous warriors who fight and sacrifice themselves for us all,” he said as tears filled his eyes.
