Shas Party Shifted Stance on Military Draft Before Election, Recordings Reveal

Recordings of senior Sephardic-Haredi Rabbi Moshe Tzadka, aired by Kan News, reveal a significant shift in the Shas party's platform shortly before the recent elections. During the campaign, Shas's central message was "He who does not study will be drafted." However, the internal recordings capture Rabbi Tzadka stating, "They backed down." Prior to this reversal, Rabbi Tzadka had intended to publish a letter urging people not to vote for Shas.

In the recordings, Rabbi Tzadka is heard discussing the decision of whether to vote for Shas. He explains that the party initially proposed that not all individuals needed to study, and that even those not engaged in study should serve in the army. He stated that if the party's current position contradicted Rabbi Ovadia's teachings, it would be difficult to support them. However, he concluded that since they "backed down" from their original campaign stance, "it is fine."

Earlier this month, Shas Member of Knesset Yinon Azulai stated in an interview with Kan News that "we say that he who does not study must be drafted, and he who studies should continue to study." He claimed that proposed economic and criminal sanctions were thwarted by coalition members, not the opposition.