Shas Lawmaker Demands Torah Study Status as Condition for Coalition Support, Criticizes Netanyahu and Likud Leaders

As political tensions escalate over the military draft issue in Israel, Shas party member of Knesset Michael Malchieli, a former Minister of Religious Services, has issued a firm stance on behalf of his party. In a pointed interview with Yaakov Hershkowitz of Israel Hayom, Malchieli declared that Shas will no longer compromise on securing a legal status for Torah scholars, which he described as a non-negotiable condition for any future political bloc or coalition formation. He emphasized that this demand is not for a blanket exemption from military service but for a formal legal arrangement recognizing the status of Torah learners.

Malchieli clarified that Shas is currently advancing legislation aimed at protecting Torah scholars, particularly regarding detentions, and stressed the importance of acknowledging Torah study as a foundational value in the Jewish state. He also addressed Shas’s recent withdrawal from the government and parliamentary committees, explaining that while the party did not join the opposition, it opposed no-confidence motions against the government to prevent their political rivals from gaining power. Nonetheless, Shas has worked to complicate the coalition’s functioning.

The former minister directed sharp criticism at key figures involved in the draft law discussions, including Knesset member Yuli Edelstein and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, accusing them and the legal system of contributing to the current legislative deadlock. Malchieli condemned Edelstein for allegedly deceiving the party over a year and criticized Galant for demanding opposition support for the draft law, an unprecedented move. He also faulted the Attorney General, who resigned and joined the opposition, for exacerbating the situation.

Malchieli did not spare Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from criticism, stating that Netanyahu failed to publicly support Torah learners promptly and that Shas left the government after Netanyahu said he could not guarantee legal backing for the draft law. Regarding other center-right leaders, Malchieli dismissed Naftali Bennett as increasingly irrelevant and sharply criticized Gadi Eizenkot for fostering division within the public through inflammatory accusations. He concluded by underscoring that coalition blocs are a means to an end, not the goal itself, and that Shas’s participation depends on advancing social issues and the status of Torah study.