Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu Clash Over Coalition Partners and Conscription

Members of Knesset (MKs) Michael Malchieli of Shas and Oded Forer of Yisrael Beiteinu engaged in a heated debate on the "Midday Journal" program regarding coalition building and military conscription. Malchieli accused Yisrael Beiteinu of bringing Mansour Abbas and left-wing parties back into the political mainstream, while Forer emphasized the critical need for soldiers and the burden on reservists.

Forer argued that military conscription should be a central issue in the upcoming elections, citing the unbearable strain on reservists who perform hundreds of days of reserve duty annually. He stated, "We cannot manage what awaits us without soldiers." Malchieli countered that the "elephant in the room" must be addressed first, asserting that Yisrael Beiteinu's past cooperation with left-wing parties and the Islamist Ra'am party, led by Abbas, was problematic and that "first and foremost, we must ensure there is a Jewish state here."

Forer characterized the political landscape as a division between "the alliance of those who serve and the alliance of draft dodgers," criticizing the Haredi leadership for allegedly "fleeing the battle during wartime." When asked about potential coalition partners, Forer declared that Yisrael Beiteinu would not sit with Abbas, Ahmad Tibi, Shas, or United Torah Judaism, stating that any "Zionist party" aligned with their agenda could be a partner. He added, "Whoever takes a rifle and joins me in the fight is my partner."

Malchieli questioned Yisrael Beiteinu's potential partners, pointing out their stated opposition to figures like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Yair Golan, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking, "So who are you going with?"