Shas Vows No Government Entry Without Ultra-Orthodox Draft Exemption Law
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri pledged his party will not join any future government without first passing a law to exempt Torah students from military service. This condition, backed by the Council of Torah Sages and Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, is a prerequisite for any coalition talks. The commitment arises amid a growing conscription crisis, with recent arrests and renewed calls for enforcement operations by the IDF.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Shas will not join any government without first passing a law exempting Torah students from military service.
- Chairman Aryeh Deri stated the law is a non-negotiable prerequisite for coalition talks.
- The commitment follows directives from the Council of Torah Sages and Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef.
- The pledge comes amid an escalating crisis over military conscription for ultra-Orthodox men.
- The IDF plans to resume enforcement operations against draft dodgers in October.
Aryeh Deri, chairman of the Shas movement, has issued a definitive public pledge that his party will not join any future government without the prior passage of a law regulating the status of Torah students and their exemption from military service. Deri stated that this commitment, stemming from directives by the Council of Torah Sages and Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, is a non-negotiable prerequisite for any coalition talks or support for a new government. "Shas will not enter a government nor allow a government to be established without first legislating the law to regulate the status of Torah students," Deri declared.
Sources within Shas emphasized that Deri has left no room for maneuver, clarifying to potential partners that the core issue for the ultra-Orthodox public is not subject to bargaining. The law must be passed first, after which discussions about ministerial portfolios and budgets can commence. This firm stance comes amid an escalating conscription crisis.
Recent events, including a large gathering in Modi'in following an attempt to arrest a yeshiva student, have highlighted the tensions. The police have initiated an investigation into the incident, attributing responsibility to the Military Police. Concurrently, the Attorney General is pushing for the resumption of arrests of draft dodgers, and the IDF has indicated that enforcement operations will restart in October. The article also notes the recent arrests of two other yeshiva students in Eilat, one a married kollel member. A senior figure from another ultra-Orthodox party commented that the current situation, with ongoing legal efforts to compel arrests and the potential for unrest, validates past claims by the "Jerusalem Faction" regarding the draft issue.
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