Son of Gerer Rebbe Lashes Out at Chareidi Representatives: “They Support the Votes of the Government of Wickedness”

A dramatic protest took place Wednesday night outside Prison 10, where thousands gathered against the wave of arrests of more than 70 yeshiva students jailed for draft evasion. Speaking before the crowd, Rav Nechemia Alter, son of the Gerer Rebbe, delivered an unprecedented rebuke directed at the chareidi political representatives who have continued to back government votes despite earlier claims of distancing themselves from the coalition.

“Today a chareidi party supported the government,” Rav Nechemia declared in his address. “I want to say to the chareidi parties: last week you supported the government, whether by backing or abstaining; today you supported the government; and next week you will support the government again. Know this: ‘if you remain silent at this time, relief and salvation will come to the Jews from another place.’”

His voice rose as he urged a complete break with the coalition. “We must tell everyone, and especially the chareidi parties: we must fight with all our strength against this government — this government of wickedness. We have heard time and again that had they listened to the words of the tzaddikim back at the beginning of the winter, on Chanukah, and voted against the government, we would not have reached this situation. All of this could have been prevented — the arrests of innocent bochurim, whose only ‘crime’ is that they are learning Torah.”

{Matzav.com}