Shas Sets Torah Study Status as Coalition Condition, Open to Gadi Eizenkot Partnership
MK Michael Malchieli of Shas, speaking at the Israel Hayom conference, emphasized that Shas's primary condition for joining any future coalition is the formal recognition of Torah scholars alongside advancing social issues. In an interview with Yaakov Hershkowitz, Israel Hayom's Haredi affairs correspondent, Malchieli criticized the Attorney General, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and Yuli Edelstein, accusing Edelstein of deceiving the party for a year.
Malchieli explained that Shas withdrew from the government and its committees but did not join the opposition. The party opposed no-confidence motions by Yesh Atid, Merav Michaeli, and Mansour Abbas, believing these groups should not govern, yet Shas simultaneously complicated government and coalition work. Regarding the draft law, Shas is currently promoting legislation to regulate the status of Torah learners, focusing on legal protections rather than draft exemptions. Malchieli stressed the importance of recognizing Torah study as a value that preserved the Jewish people.
He expressed disappointment over the failure to pass the draft law but reiterated that any coalition or bloc formation must include resolving the status of Torah learners and social issues central to Shas. When asked about exemptions, he clarified that Haredi parties never proposed draft exemptions but sought legal regulation of Torah study status. On potential cooperation with Naftali Bennett or Gadi Eizenkot, Malchieli dismissed Bennett's relevance and noted Eizenkot's approach avoids inciting public division. He stated that a bloc is a means to an end, not the goal itself.
Malchieli blamed the absence of a draft law on two main actors: the Attorney General, who resigned and joined the opposition, and government insiders including Galant and Edelstein. He accused Galant of demanding opposition support for the draft law, an unprecedented request, and said Edelstein misled Shas for a year. Regarding Netanyahu, Malchieli said the prime minister failed to publicly support Torah learners promptly and delayed the law's advancement. When Netanyahu could not secure legal backing for the law, Shas left the government.
