Shas Party Vows Unwavering Alliance with Netanyahu and Right-Wing Bloc

Member of Knesset Moshe Abutbul of the Shas party has declared an unshakeable commitment to the right-wing bloc and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that Shas will not join any other government. Speaking on the "Everything is Political" podcast, Abutbul explained that Shas's alignment with the right stems from a directive from revered rabbis, including Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and Rabbi Shach, who viewed the right as "people of heritage, people of tradition." He expressed disappointment with the Religious Zionist party, suggesting they abandon Shas in times of need, which he deemed unfair, unfriendly, illogical, and bad for business.

Abutbul dismissed any possibility of this alliance fracturing, comparing its strength to "epoxy glue." He attributed past governmental successes that were thwarted to the Attorney General's office, specifically mentioning the legal advisor's actions that prevented certain initiatives. He also criticized the Attorney General's decision to postpone the annual commemoration of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef until after the upcoming elections, vowing that hundreds of smaller commemorations would take place regardless, asserting that the Attorney General's actions are consistently against Shas, the Haredi community, and the right-wing.

Addressing the perceived disconnect between the right-wing bloc and the Haredi community regarding settlement policies, Abutbul acknowledged the validity of claims that Haredi politicians have supported settlement legislation while not receiving reciprocal support on Haredi issues. He emphasized that while Shas has consistently voted in favor of settlement initiatives, even when costly, they expect the right-wing to reciprocate this support on matters important to the Haredi community. He concluded by stating that the alliance is fundamentally a "give and take" relationship, regardless of ideological labels.