Israeli Lawmakers Condemn Rabbi's Incendiary Speech Against IDF Chief Amid Political Tensions

The Knesset Committee on Basic Laws convened on Tuesday to discuss the Basic Law on Torah Study, during which Chairman Ofir Katz addressed controversial remarks made by Rabbi Aryeh Yazdi at a protest in Bnei Brak the previous day. Yazdi had called the IDF Chief of Staff "cursed," a statement Katz condemned as inappropriate and offensive, emphasizing his support for the military leader. Despite the inflammatory speech, four Shas party MKs spoke at the event without denouncing Yazdi's words, prompting criticism from other lawmakers.

MKs from various factions, including Moshe Tur-Paz (Yesh Atid-Together) and Yossi Tayeb (Shas), highlighted the silence or delayed responses from Shas representatives. Tayeb stated that Yazdi's comments did not reflect the views of Shas' Council of Torah Sages and contradicted the party's traditional approach. Opposition MK Vladimir Beliak demanded a criminal investigation into Yazdi's incitement. Merav Ben Ari (Yesh Atid) remarked that if Arab MKs had made similar statements on stage, they would have faced immediate investigations and calls for immunity revocation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the remarks belatedly, following criticism from former IDF Chief Gadi Eisenkot for his silence. The opposition accused the coalition of political deals with ultra-Orthodox parties while ignoring repeated anti-IDF rhetoric. Journalist Kobi Israeli, present at the protest, described Yazdi as an extreme Sephardic rabbi and noted Shas' lack of control over the event.

The Basic Law on Torah Study, which aims to enshrine Torah study as a fundamental value, passed a preliminary reading about three weeks ago. It is part of a political deal between Netanyahu and ultra-Orthodox parties, which also includes laws on draft evasion and kosher certification, in exchange for Shas supporting other coalition bills.

Simultaneously, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee began discussing a bill to freeze criminal proceedings against draft evaders, following Defense Minister Israel Katz's call to halt arrests. Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth condemned Yazdi's remarks and described the freeze as a temporary measure to ease tensions between the general and ultra-Orthodox populations. During the session, Bismuth expelled Omri Ronen, a leader of the "Brothers in Arms" movement, after a heated exchange regarding his right to speak on the issue.