UTJ’s Meir Porush launches fierce attack on Israel’s attorney general, warning escalating pressure on Torah scholars could trigger unprecedented resistance.
A political storm erupted Tuesday night after UTJ MK Meir Porush delivered a fiery speech accusing Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of waging a campaign against the Torah world and warning that continued legal pressure on the Haredi community could lead to a major national confrontation.
Speaking at a gathering of Shlomei Emunim representatives in Beitar Illit, Porush addressed growing tensions surrounding military draft enforcement, the arrest of yeshiva students, and what many in the Haredi sector view as an unprecedented assault on Torah study.
“What Is Permitted to Them Is Permitted to Us”
Porush pointed to recent remarks attributed to former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who suggested forceful action if democratic processes were undermined.
Referring to anti-government protest tactics that have dominated Israeli politics in recent years, Porush argued that the Haredi public should no longer accept a double standard.
“It is customary to say that what is permitted to them is forbidden to us, but not anymore,” he declared.
“The moment war was declared against the world of Torah, everything permitted to them is permitted to us—and if necessary, even more.”
Sharp Criticism of the Attorney General
Porush then turned directly to the Attorney General, accusing her of persecuting Torah scholars and escalating tensions between the state and the Haredi public.
He warned that if legal actions against yeshiva students continue, resistance within the community could intensify dramatically.
The comments immediately fueled controversy, reflecting the deepening divide over the future of military service exemptions and the place of Torah study in Israeli society.
Threat of Wider Civil Resistance
Porush revealed that Haredi leadership has already begun reassessing cooperation with state institutions and praised recent decisions to limit engagement with certain authorities.
He suggested that additional measures could follow.
“There may soon come a day when we will need to disconnect from cooperation with government authorities participating in this persecution,” he told local representatives.
He called on community leaders to prepare for protest actions capable of “shaking the rafters.”
Economic Pressure as a Political Weapon
Porush also highlighted the demographic and economic weight of Israel’s Haredi population, which he said now numbers nearly 1.5 million people, representing 14.3% of the country’s population.
Drawing comparisons to tactics used during the judicial reform protests, he hinted that the community possesses significant economic leverage if pushed further.
“I strongly do not recommend that those persecuting us calculate the economic price of a large public that decides it has had enough,” he warned.
A Battle Over Israel’s Identity
Porush framed the struggle as one extending beyond politics, portraying it as a battle over the future of Torah life in the Jewish state.
“The Arabs want to harm our bodies, and the jurists want to harm our soul,” he said.
His remarks underscore the growing tensions between Israel’s legal establishment and Haredi leadership at a time when debates over military service, religious identity, and national unity continue to dominate the public agenda.
