Bereaved families and opposition figures sharply attacked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he met Tuesday with Shas leader Aryeh Deri and United Torah Judaism lawmaker Moshe Gafni to finalize a political deal aimed at preventing the Knesset from dissolving next week. Under the emerging arrangement, the coalition would advance legislation sought by the ultra-Orthodox parties, while they would drop the threat to topple the government and continue backing Netanyahu.
The October Council, which represents bereaved families, said the talks amounted to “blood profiteering.” In a statement, it said, “This is not a political deal. This is blood profiteering. At a time when October 7 has still not been investigated, when entire families have lived 1,000 days without answers and when the state needs a state commission of inquiry into the greatest disaster in its history, Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox parties are trading truth for political survival.” It added that the deaths of more than 2,000 fallen soldiers and murder victims were being valued below draft-exemption laws, kosher regulations, political immunity and weakening law enforcement.
Former IDF chief and lawmaker Gadi Eisenkot said, “Netanyahu, it is over. You are not worthy of the heavy price this nation has paid.” He accused the prime minister of selling out Israel’s national interests, calling the package a bargain of exemption laws and social division in exchange for a more convenient election date. Yair Golan, head of The Democrats, said Netanyahu was “selling Israel for the Haredim,” while Benny Gantz said that in the broad Zionist government he expects after elections, no one will hold the country hostage.
After the meeting, Gafni and Deri said Netanyahu had privately committed to advancing their demands. They warned that if that did not happen, the ultra-Orthodox parties would support dissolving the Knesset next week. The deal under discussion reportedly includes splitting the attorney general’s role, weakening the media, advancing a political inquiry committee, and pushing legislation on Torah study and blocking arrests of yeshiva students, while the Haredim would abandon the daycare subsidy bill and the kosher law.
