Shas Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef Backs Gadi Eizenkot Over Netanyahu, Threatens to Break Netanyahu Bloc

Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel and member of Shas' Council of Torah Sages, indicated a willingness to dismantle the Netanyahu political bloc and support Gadi Eizenkot as prime minister ahead of the upcoming elections. In a closed conversation reported on July 12, Yosef praised Eizenkot as a good, warm Jew who respects Torah scholars, noting that Eizenkot’s grandmother voted for Shas and wanted him to become a rabbi. Yosef expressed hope that the United Torah Judaism party would join this political move.

Yosef sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of deceit regarding the military conscription law and calling him a liar. He stated, “Netanyahu tricked us on the conscription law, we cannot trust him.” Yosef also suggested he might publicly endorse Eizenkot closer to election day. He remarked that Israel is a secular state rather than a Haredi one and doubted Netanyahu’s potential for repentance, contrasting this with Eizenkot’s.

In response, Eizenkot affirmed his firm stance against compromising on the conscription exemption law, even if it leads to additional elections. Yosef’s remarks follow a series of critical statements against Netanyahu over the past year, including calling him an atheist and a “blind fox.” These comments underscore growing tensions within the religious political factions regarding Netanyahu’s leadership.

The political implications suggest a possible realignment within the Haredi parties, with Shas potentially breaking from Netanyahu’s coalition to back Eizenkot, signaling a significant shift in the Israeli right-wing political landscape ahead of the elections.