Smotrich Halts Settlement Rabbis Appointments Amid Dispute with Shas Over Allocation

A conflict has emerged between Religious Affairs Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the Shas party regarding the allocation of dedicated rabbi positions in Israeli settlements. Smotrich secured 60 positions intended to appoint dozens of rabbis across settlements in Judea, Samaria, and the Golan Heights. However, Shas has reportedly obstructed the distribution of these positions despite budget approval, causing delays.

The dispute centers on the number of positions allocated to regional councils. The Binyamin Regional Council requested 16 rabbi positions but received only four, while the Samaria Regional Council requested nine but was granted none. Shas has argued that the religious councils lack sufficient budgets to support the requested number of positions, a claim rejected by the councils, which noted that Shas previously appointed rabbis even without budget provisions.

Due to this ongoing disagreement, Minister Smotrich is currently freezing all rabbi appointments until a consensus is reached. Additional positions are expected to be allocated to settlements including Hispin in the Golan Heights, southern Mount Hebron, and Gush Etzion. A senior settlement official told Channel 7 that the dispute is delaying critical appointments needed for religious leadership in these communities.