Mickey Levy on Haredim: Parasites • Yishai: like in Germany 1942

Deputy finance minister MK Mickey Levy of Yesh Atid called Haredim "parasites" - and quickly apologized. Levy was a guest this morning on Radio Kol Barama, and said, "the haredim must bear the burden together, integrate in the labor market, it is impossible to be parasites on the Israeli public, one can not go on like this."

The presenter asked him if he really thinks that haredim are parasites and asked him to apologize for his remarks - and Levy rushed to do so: "I apologize for the word, I'm just saying that you can not live on the shoulders of the Israeli working taxpayer. I mean, you can not continue to live economically on the shoulders of those who pay taxes, of those who go to the army of those who serve the country. You are equal citizens, so be equal in obligations."

MK Mickey Levy was not satisfied with the immediate apology on broadcast and requested to go up to the Knesset podium to officially apologize, "the statement was uttered a moment of anger, Mode ve'ozev yerucham".

Levy's remarks have created a public uproar. MK Eli Yishai was quick to respond, both Levy's statement and to statements by Finance Minister Yair Lapid. "It is alarming that in Israel in 2013 things are said like Germany in 1942. If similar statements as the deputy minister said were spoken in another country by a member of the European Parliament on the Jewish community, the country would be shocked and rightly so.

"Unfortunately, the conduct of the Minister of Finance and Chairman of Yesh Atid, legitimizes and encourages further harm to the haredi public – harm which one knows how it starts but does not how it will end. Elsewhere in the world they call this behavior and conduct anti-Semitism. "

At the meeting of the State Control Committee, at which chairman MK Amnon Cohen was appointed, Yishai said, "Deputy Finance Minister called the Haredim - parasites. Then here is the first parasite appointed as Chairman of the State Control Committee."

In a whisper to one of his aides, Levy was heard saying: "I'll never go on that radio again ..."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!