Ultra-Orthodox parties threaten to block communications bill until key religious legislation advances

Senior figures in Shas and Degel HaTorah told coalition leaders in the past day that they will not let Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s bill move forward unless legislation important to the ultra-Orthodox public is first approved in the Knesset plenum. The dispute centers on the Housing Bill, the Basic Law on Torah study, and a prisoners bill promoted by Shas chairman Aryeh Deri.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he failed to secure a majority for the Housing Bill, while there has also been no progress on the Basic Law on Torah study or on Deri’s prisoners bill, despite earlier promises from the prime minister. Against that backdrop, the ultra-Orthodox parties say they are angry over what they see as years of failure to legislate protections for Torah learners.

The factions informed coalition whip MK Ofir Katz that they intend to stop all coalition legislation until the key ultra-Orthodox bills are passed. Shas said, according to the report, that “as long as the Basic Law on Torah study and the prisoners bill do not pass, no bill will pass, including the communications bill.” Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni said separately, “As long as the Housing Bill is not approved, no bill will pass, including the communications bill.”

A senior ultra-Orthodox lawmaker said it was unacceptable that Netanyahu was ending his term without managing in three and a half years to pass any important law for the ultra-Orthodox community. He added that the community is watching and expects answers, saying they would not allow any bill, including the communications bill that matters to the coalition, to advance. Meanwhile, Agudat Yisrael reiterated this morning that its MKs will vote against the bill even if the other ultra-Orthodox demands are met, because they oppose the substance of the communications legislation itself.