Shas Leader Aryeh Deri Mocks Netanyahu Over Controversial Haredi Exemption Law

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri ridiculed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in private conversations following Netanyahu's sudden departure from the Knesset just before the decisive vote on the law exempting Haredi draft dodgers from arrest. Deri used the phrase "ate, got hit, and paid" to describe Netanyahu's situation, suggesting the prime minister lost on all fronts and paid a heavy political price. Deri clarified that his comment was made in jest.

The controversy centers on the Defense Minister Israel Katz, who initially opposed advancing the exemption law but was reportedly pressured by Netanyahu's office to change his stance. Despite Netanyahu's promise to attend the vote, he left the plenum at the critical moment, with his office stating he had to conduct a "diplomatic conversation."

Senior IDF officials sharply criticized the political deal that led to the law's approval, accusing politicians of sidelining military needs for narrow political interests. They condemned the arrangement as ignoring professional military recommendations and described it as a "political campaign on the Chief of Staff's back."

Military leaders also attacked Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth (Likud), calling him a "liar" for allegedly denying the army a chance to express its professional opposition during the legislative process. Bismuth responded by criticizing the timing of Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir's appeal to political leaders, noting it came after the committee had already voted. He also argued that the army had the draft exemption text for three weeks and participated in all discussions.

Bismuth further stated that during the hearings, IDF representatives failed to provide a single case where arresting a Torah student led to actual enlistment. Addressing Zamir's claim that the exemption diverts attention and resources amid ongoing conflict, Bismuth countered that arrests that do not result in enlistment are precisely what waste military focus and resources.