UTJ’s Goldknopf accuses Diaspora Minister Chikli of fueling antisemitism, anti-Haredi sentiment for political gain

By Sam Sokol 30 March 2025, 3:53 pm

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Sam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Minister of Housing and Construction Yitzhak Goldknopf attends Education, Culture, and Sports Committee meeting at the Knesset, June 19, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Housing Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf, chairman of the United Torah Judaism party, accuses Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli of antisemitism and engaging in Haredi bashing for political advantage.

According to Radio Kol Hai, the Haredi politician slammed his fellow minister during this morning’s cabinet meeting, and accused him of deciding to attack the ultra-Orthodox community “ahead of the primaries without understanding that his public is averse to this.”

“Your ministry is supposed to fight antisemitism, but unfortunately, it is not doing so with great success,” Goldknopf snipes. “A personal piece of friendly advice from me to you: start by fighting antisemitism within Israel, and after that, it will be easier for you to succeed in the Diaspora. The change starts with you.”

Last week, Chikli demanded Goldknopf’s dismissal, accusing him of harming the general public to benefit Haredi Jews.

Chikli said that Goldknopf’s admission during a conference in Beit Shemesh the previous week that he was steering resources toward the ultra-Orthodox community at the expense of the general public constituted “malicious discrimination against the general public” for which he should be ousted.

Chikli has also publicly backed Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Yuli Edelstein (Likud)’s push for a strong ultra-Orthodox conscription law, which Goldknopf and his party are firmly opposed to.