Shas Spiritual Leader Doubts Netanyahu Will Repent, Suggests Gadi Eizenkot Might

Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the spiritual leader of the Shas party, stated in his weekly lesson on Saturday that Israel is a secular state and expressed hope that everyone would repent, though he doubted some would. He specifically said there was no chance that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would repent, but suggested that former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot might.

Earlier this week at a conference in Dimona, Eizenkot criticized the current government and its proposed military conscription law. He condemned those responsible for the failures of October 7 and said they should not lecture others. Eizenkot emphasized that the conscription law should have been a given since that date and accused the government of undermining the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during a time of heightened security threats.

Eizenkot also attacked what he called "parasitism" within society, highlighting the distress of mothers in Dimona and other areas. He criticized Netanyahu for appointing him as IDF Chief of Staff but blamed him for the October 7 failures, calling the culture of lies a threat to democracy. Eizenkot denied claims that Netanyahu opposed military actions in Iran or maneuvers in Rafah, calling such accusations false and insisting this culture must end.

He further accused the government of fearfully advancing legislation to bypass military conscription and weaken the media, deepening societal divisions. Eizenkot warned that public leaders calling to block the country were troubling and pledged that his first reform would be a universal conscription law. He stressed the importance of integrating Haredim into the IDF and Arabs into national service, warning that failure to do so would pose a serious threat to the military.

The remarks highlight ongoing tensions over military service laws and political leadership in Israel amid security challenges and societal divisions.