Deri Warns Shas Will Block Coalition Bills Until Draft and Torah-Study Laws Advance

Shas leader Aryeh Deri said on Monday that his party will not back any coalition legislation until two demands move forward, a law to stop the arrest of yeshiva students and a Basic Law on Torah study. He said, "The violent arrests against Torah learners must stop! We told the coalition chairman that as long as the law to stop arrests and the Basic Law on Torah study are not advanced, we will not support any coalition legislation."

The statement raises the stakes in the ongoing dispute between the ultra-Orthodox parties and the coalition over military service and Torah study. Because Shas is one of the coalition’s key parties, its refusal to support government bills could delay or derail several items on the agenda.

Among the measures that could be affected is the communications bill promoted by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, one of the ministry’s flagship initiatives. Without Shas’s support, the bill may face serious difficulties in the Knesset.

The Basic Law: Torah Study is scheduled to come before the Knesset plenum on Wednesday. The ultra-Orthodox parties have made its advancement a central condition for continuing cooperation in the coalition. Deri has said the bill is meant to entrench Torah study in basic legislation and described it as historically significant for the ultra-Orthodox public and for Israel. Meanwhile, coalition officials are still trying to agree on a version that could pass, including possible changes to clauses dealing with comparison to citizens who serve in the security forces.