Shas Chairman Deri Accuses Attorney General of 'Persecuting Torah Scholars'
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri fiercely criticized Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara for seeking to revoke benefits for 110,000 ultra-Orthodox men exempt from IDF service. Deri accused her of being a "Kaplan activist" aiming to influence elections and "persecute Torah scholars." Baharav-Miara's filing to the High Court cited widespread draft evasion and insufficient state enforcement, proposing the removal of economic benefits.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri accused Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of "persecuting Torah scholars."
- Deri claimed Baharav-Miara is a "Kaplan activist" trying to influence upcoming elections.
- The Attorney General asked the High Court to consider revoking benefits for 110,000 draft-exempt ultra-Orthodox men.
- Baharav-Miara stated that the state is not sufficiently enforcing draft laws against these individuals.
- Previous demands included revoking housing, tax, and transportation benefits for yeshiva students.
Chairman of the Shas party, Aryeh Deri, launched a sharp attack against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, accusing her of deliberately persecuting Torah scholars and attempting to influence the upcoming elections. Deri's comments came in response to Baharav-Miara's recent submission to the High Court of Justice (Bagatz), where she requested consideration of revoking economic benefits for approximately 110,000 ultra-Orthodox men who are exempt from military service.
Deri characterized the Attorney General as a "Kaplan activist" working to bring about a left-wing government, alleging that her actions are intended to increase state "cruelty" towards Torah students. He warned that if the left gains power, the situation for these students would become significantly worse, urging voters not to let them win.
The Attorney General's filing to the High Court stated that the number of draft evaders has reached 110,000, constituting a violation of the law. She argued that the state is not utilizing its enforcement tools sufficiently to address the issue and suggested that the court consider issuing further directives to revoke economic benefits for those evading service.
This latest demand follows previous actions by Baharav-Miara, who has sought to implement personal and economic sanctions against yeshiva students. Previously, she had called for expanded government enforcement measures, including the potential revocation of benefits related to housing, property taxes, public transportation subsidies, and eligibility for daycare.
