MK Avi Maoz, chairman of the Noam L’Yisrael party, says he is committed to remaining in the race through Election Day and is not using his campaign as leverage for political negotiations. In an interview with Kikar HaShabbos, Maoz declared that his goal is to strengthen the right-wing bloc, set his sights on becoming Israel’s next education minister, pledged full and equal funding for chareidi educational institutions regardless of core curriculum studies, and reiterated his position that bnei Torah should not be drafted into the military.
At the outset of the interview, Maoz rejected suggestions that his independent campaign is merely a negotiating tactic designed to secure a merger with another right-wing party before the election.
“No, this time it’s different. Maybe in previous elections people could have viewed our announcement that we were running as part of negotiations to eventually unite with someone else. This time it’s different. We’re raising a great deal of money, we’ve changed our name from ‘Noam’ to ‘Noam L’Yisrael.’ If my goal was simply to unite with another party, I could have kept the name ‘Noam.’ I also wouldn’t have recruited such strong candidates, like Shimon Tobul, deputy mayor of Be’er Sheva, and Eliyahu Libman, a hero of Israel.”
Asked directly whether he intended to stay in the race until the end, Maoz answered unequivocally.
“I am running until the end at the head of the ‘Noam L’Yisrael’ list. There will still be alliances with new and unexpected groups. Just as no one expected me to bring Shimon Tobul, there will be other unexpected figures who will join me on this journey. On a personal note, I’m 70 years old. At 70, you don’t embark on an adventure like this unless you truly believe in it. My entire mission is to save the right-wing bloc.”
When confronted with claims that his party could cost the right-wing bloc seats if it fails to cross the electoral threshold, Maoz dismissed the criticism and argued that his candidacy would actually strengthen the coalition.
“That was the conversation in 1992. It may have been true then, but it’s no longer true today. I want to change the conversation from ‘You’ll waste votes and destroy the right-wing bloc’ to a more accurate one: we’re here to save the right-wing bloc. We’re here to save the right-wing government. Why do I say that? Today the chareidi parties are telling voters, ‘Vote right and you’ll get a left-wing government.’ Netanyahu has declared that he wants a broad unity government. With whom? With the left!”
He continued by explaining why he believes his party fills an important political role.
“The chareidi parties are saying, ‘We’ll be the deciding factor.’ We are saying openly: we are only with the right-wing bloc, because we want to represent the ציבור that places its trust in the right. Right now the bloc is missing several seats. Every poll shows that it still lacks enough mandates to get beyond 60 seats. I’m here so Aryeh Deri can continue serving as a minister. I’m here so Moshe Gafni can continue doing what he’s been doing. I’m here so Smotrich can continue doing what he’s been doing.”
Maoz said his campaign is aimed at three different sectors of Israeli society.
“I’m appealing to three groups that are very dear to me: the chareidi ציבור, the religious Zionist ציבור that I come from, and the traditional ציבור—the people in the periphery, the ordinary people of Israel. I’m speaking to all of you. You love tradition, you love the Torah, you love talmidei chachamim, you love those who learn Torah, and at the same time you deeply appreciate the IDF.”
Asked whether he could work together with groups seeking to represent disillusioned chareidi voters, including parties associated with Moti Leitner, Eli Yishai, or the Achi Party, Maoz said ideological loyalty to the right was his only condition.
“Anyone who joins me must state clearly and unequivocally: we will not be Gadi Eisenkot’s 61st vote. Anyone who joins me—we will be the 61st vote for the right-wing bloc. That’s my condition.”
He said he welcomes support from any group willing to embrace that commitment.
“All of those groups are potential partners as far as I’m concerned. All of them. I invite them to join me on this journey to save the right-wing bloc. And I emphasize this because right now I’m the only one saying openly: I will not be Eisenkot’s 61st vote. I will be the 61st vote of the right-wing bloc, the bloc of faith. And yes, I’m appealing to the chareidi ציבור because I know there is tremendous disappointment there.”
Maoz made no attempt to hide the fact that he hopes to attract voters from Shas and United Torah Judaism.
“I’m here for the ציבור of Shas. I’m here for the ציבור of United Torah Judaism. I’m here for the religious Zionist ציבור, and I’m here for the traditional ציבור that loves Torah, loves IDF soldiers just as much, and loves the Jewish people. We’re here to save the bloc of faith, the right-wing bloc. It’s time that voters on the right vote for the right and actually receive a right-wing government.”
Turning to education policy, Maoz declared that he wants to become Israel’s next education minister and outlined what he said would be one of his signature reforms.
“I want to serve as education minister in the next government, and I will bring full-strength Judaism to the Ministry of Education—for everyone, for every sector. And there will be full funding for every child, equal funding. That means equal opportunity.”
When asked whether that funding would be provided regardless of how much core curriculum a school teaches, Maoz responded without hesitation.
“Without any connection! A religious Zionist child who wants to study according to his worldview should receive exactly what every other child in the education system receives, because we do not play games with children.”
The interviewer noted that even the chareidi parties have generally tied funding levels to the amount of core curriculum instruction.
“Yishai, I once sat in a meeting with the education minister, and his legal adviser said, ‘Listen, we can’t do that because it’s not the ministry’s policy.’ What do you expect an education minister to say? ‘Madam, I determine the ministry’s policy!’ As education minister, I will determine the ministry’s policy: equal funding for every child. Because equal funding means equal opportunity for every child.”
Asked whether such a policy would survive a challenge before Israel’s High Court of Justice, Maoz said he believes it would.
“With G-d’s help, yes, it will stand up in the High Court. Because there is a glaring inequality here. Why are there children today who do not receive equal funding? Why are there children who are being discriminated against?”
Toward the end of the interview, Maoz addressed the ongoing debate over military service and the status of bnei yeshiva, reaffirming his longstanding position on the issue.
“I always tell the truth, and this is my truth: Whoever is learning Torah will not be drafted. Whoever is not learning Torah will receive every possible condition necessary to enlist if he wants to serve. He will enter the army as a chareidi and leave the army as a chareidi. That’s what I fought for, and that’s what I will continue to fight for.”
{Matzav.com}
