Haredi Parties Warn Likud of Imminent Split Over Torah Study Law Amendments

Haredi factions within the Israeli coalition are signaling a potential breakup with the Likud party amid disputes over proposed changes to the Basic Law on Torah Study. MK Ofir Katz from Likud has indicated he is considering amendments to the law, prompting sharp opposition from Haredi leaders. Moshe Gafni informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that no alterations to the law's wording will be accepted by the Haredi parties, placing the coalition at an impasse once again.

Following this, the Shas party also voiced strong objections to any modifications. The party's newspaper, HaDerech, is set to publish a headline warning of decisive days ahead for the Torah study laws, criticizing Likud's attempts to backtrack on prior agreements and cautioning that breaking these understandings would betray loyal partners and destabilize the religious bloc.

The Haredi parties oppose any changes after the law was already amended at the request of the Religious Zionist Party and other Likud MKs. They have made clear that failure to advance the law will stall the entire coalition's legislative agenda, as they refuse to support coalition bills without the passage of the Basic Law on Torah Study and legislation to end the detention of draft-dodging Haredi yeshiva students.