Motty Babchik Accused of Trying to Weaken Shas and Challenge Netanyahu Amid Haredi Draft Crisis

In the Haredi political arena, Motty Babchik faces serious accusations from within the Shas party, alleging he aims to create chaos to weaken Shas and retaliate against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Behind the scenes, there is growing consideration of transforming opposition to the draft of yeshiva students into a new electoral force. Last week, Babchik met with figures associated with the Jerusalem Faction and other rabbis and activists to discuss forming a new political framework that would adopt an uncompromising stance against the draft law, rejecting quotas or sanctions. However, Babchik publicly rejected joining this initiative, reaffirming that the Gur Hasidic dynasty intends to maintain leadership within Agudat Yisrael and continue leading the party without sanctions or quotas on the draft.

Despite Babchik’s public stance, the possibility of a new political force has not been entirely dismissed. When asked about progress on a new party, Babchik neither confirmed nor denied such plans, leaving the option open as the Haredi political system evaluates how the draft crisis might reshape voting patterns. Within Shas, Babchik’s moves are viewed as politically motivated beyond ideological opposition to the draft. Shas sources claim Babchik seeks to exploit the anger over the draft and tensions within the Sephardic community to undermine Shas, harm Netanyahu, and promote a political alliance opposed to the Prime Minister, including a potential alliance with Gadi Eizenkot, though no public confirmation of such contacts exists.

The conflict between Babchik and Netanyahu has intensified recently, with Babchik publicly criticizing the Prime Minister and signaling that the Haredi public is no longer automatically loyal to him. This has fueled speculation that Haredi parties might explore post-election partnerships independent of Netanyahu. A key figure in this dynamic is Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, spiritual leader of Shas, whose reconciliation with Shas chairman Aryeh Deri ended a significant internal rift. Shas insiders emphasize that Rabbi Yosef would never support a political framework opposing the movement founded by his father, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. The reconciliation, facilitated by Rabbi Yosef’s close aide Dudu Amar and Deri’s brother Shlomo, strengthened Rabbi Yosef’s public backing of Deri and Shas, closing a potential opening for rivals to attract Sephardic votes.

Shas sources say Babchik was disappointed by this reconciliation and felt isolated in his campaign against the draft. They reject the notion that the rift could have led to a new Sephardic party under Rabbi Yosef’s leadership. The renewed alliance between Deri and Rabbi Yosef reinforces Shas’s religious legitimacy and political stability, limiting Babchik’s influence and the potential for a new political faction emerging from the current draft dispute.