Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef Denies Support for Political Shift Amid Controversial Comments

During his weekly lesson on Saturday night, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef addressed the state of secular society in Israel, expressing hope that people would repent. He differentiated between those he believes can still change their ways and those he doubts will repent. Specifically, he stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not repent, saying, "There is no chance he will return to repentance." He also mentioned former IDF Chief of Staff and current Knesset member Gadi Eizenkot, suggesting Eizenkot might repent.

On Sunday morning, additional remarks attributed to Rabbi Yosef were broadcast on Galei Tzahal, including calling Netanyahu a liar and expressing distrust in him. Reports also claimed that Rabbi Yosef, the spiritual leader of the Shas party, is considering breaking away from Netanyahu's bloc and possibly aligning with Eizenkot in the upcoming elections, hoping that Yahadut HaTorah would join this move.

Following these reports, Rabbi Yosef issued a denial, stating that any claims of political support or opposition were completely false and expressed regret that his words were distorted and misrepresented. Meanwhile, Shas member Hili Tropper declined to comment on the matter, especially in a radio interview.

This controversy highlights tensions within the religious political leadership ahead of upcoming elections, with Rabbi Yosef's statements stirring debate about potential shifts in alliances and the future direction of the Shas party.