Pressure Mounts on Aryeh Deri as United Torah Judaism Opposes Media Weakening Bill

United Torah Judaism, which unites the factions of Yaakov Litzman and Moshe Gafni, announced its opposition to the Israeli government’s bill aimed at weakening the media, primarily due to provisions concerning a government app operating on Shabbat and the inclusion of pornographic content, which cannot be removed from the bill. This stance complicates the position of Shas, led by Aryeh Deri, who has so far not withdrawn support despite strong opposition from his rabbis on the same grounds.

The bill, promoted by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, is set for a second and third reading in the Knesset soon. The legal advisor to the Knesset, Shagit Afik, clarified that the problematic clauses related to Shabbat desecration and pornographic content cannot be excised from the legislation, intensifying the controversy within the ultra-Orthodox parties.

Deri’s backing of the bill is linked to a political deal with Karhi, where Shas supports the media bill in exchange for advancing a kosher certification law important to Deri. This law would reverse a reform by former minister Matan Kahana, reinstating kosher supervisors as state employees under the Chief Rabbinate, a body heavily influenced by Shas.

Prominent rabbis in Shas have vocally opposed the media bill, calling it an unprecedented desecration of Shabbat. Rabbi Reuven Elbaz and Rabbi Shlomo Machpud condemned the bill’s provisions allowing app usage on Shabbat and exposure to prohibited content. Meanwhile, United Torah Judaism leaders sharply criticized Deri’s deal, accusing him of sidelining other critical ultra-Orthodox legislative priorities such as repealing the arrest of draft evaders and establishing a Basic Law on Torah study.

Shas responded to these accusations by condemning what it called falsehoods spread in the name of United Torah Judaism and defended its efforts to promote laws benefiting the Torah world. Additionally, MK Avi Maoz of the Noam party declared his opposition to the bill, citing concerns over Shabbat desecration and the Jewish character of the state. With these developments, the coalition currently lacks a majority for the bill, holding only 60 supporters including Shas.