Religious Zionism Calls for Broad Government, Urges End to Boycotts
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
The Religious Zionism party will recommend Benjamin Netanyahu for prime minister but will also call on centrist and left-wing parties to end boycotts and join a broad coalition government. President Yitzhak Herzog began consultations with Knesset factions on Wednesday, starting with smaller parties. Shas also decided to recommend Netanyahu, citing his commitment to yeshiva students, while criticizing the opposition. Netanyahu himself attacked the opposition's stance on Haredi conscription, accusing them of hypocrisy.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Religious Zionism will recommend Benjamin Netanyahu but urges an end to boycotts for a broad coalition.
- President Yitzhak Herzog began consultations with Knesset factions on forming a new government.
- Shas also decided to recommend Netanyahu, citing his commitment to yeshiva students.
- Netanyahu accused the opposition of hypocrisy regarding Haredi conscription.
- The president is consulting smaller parties first to explore all government formation options.
President Yitzhak Herzog is set to begin consultations with Knesset factions on Wednesday regarding the formation of a new government. The Religious Zionism party will be the first to meet with the president at 5:00 PM, where they are expected to recommend Benjamin Netanyahu for prime minister. However, the party intends to deliver a unique message, urging centrist and left-wing Zionist parties to abandon the "Anyone but Bibi" boycott and join a broad coalition.
According to reports, Religious Zionism representatives plan to state, "Enough with the boycotts. It is time for a broad Jewish government that will join forces for the good of the country, and not continue the cycle of hatred and mutual disqualification." The party emphasizes that a clear Jewish-Zionist character is a prerequisite for such a partnership. This call for a wide-reaching government from a staunch right-wing party signals a significant shift in political discourse, aiming to offer stability amidst security and economic challenges, contrasting with the political paralysis of recent years.
Meanwhile, the Shas party also decided on Wednesday to recommend Netanyahu to the president. This decision followed Netanyahu's explicit commitment to regulate the deferment status for yeshiva students. Shas's Council of Torah Sages made the decision after MKs Michael Malchieli and Yinon Azulai consulted with Rabbi Moshe Maya, a senior member of the council. Shas also launched a sharp attack against the opposition and left-wing parties, accusing them of hypocrisy and unprecedented slander campaigns against the Haredi sector and Torah scholars.
Netanyahu himself issued a statement criticizing the "change bloc" for their perceived hypocrisy regarding Haredi conscription. He argued that their past rhetoric against the Haredi community, calling them "draft dodgers" and "destroyers of the state," has now softened to "soft conscription" and a "clean slate." Netanyahu reiterated his commitment to ensuring that Torah scholars can continue their studies, aligning with the Likud and the right-wing bloc's stance.
President Herzog's decision to start consultations with smaller parties, in ascending order of their mandate numbers, is a departure from past practice. Following Religious Zionism, Shas is scheduled to meet at 6:15 PM, followed by Yisrael Beiteinu at 7:30 PM, and Otzma Yehudit at 8:45 PM. This approach aims to allow a comprehensive examination of all available options before meeting with the larger factions. The success of Religious Zionism's call for a broad government now hinges on the willingness of centrist and left-wing parties to compromise on their previous positions.
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