Shas Spiritual Leader Calls for Coalition Support in Exchange for Ultra-Orthodox Legislation

Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the spiritual leader of the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) party Shas, sent a letter to Chairman MK Arye Deri on Tuesday urging the party to back coalition legislation in return for advancing a series of haredi-backed bills.

Critics argue that recent bills pushed by haredi parties encourage draft evasion amid severe IDF manpower shortages. In the letter, Yosef stated there is no room for delay and that the passage of the Torah Study Law must not be put at risk.

The letter comes amid multiple reports of agreements between haredi parties and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the coalition pushes through legislation ahead of the Knesset’s final summer session before upcoming elections. The Knesset is expected to go into recess after next week, following a boycott by haredi parties last month that stalled coalition bills due to insufficient advancement of their own legislation.

Communications Minister Urges Support

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi also sent a message to Yosef urging Shas lawmakers to support the controversial communications reform bill. The haredi parties had previously opposed the bill over concerns it could lead to broadcasting on Shabbat. Yosef responded that the legislation would only pass if the ultra-Orthodox bills currently on the Knesset’s agenda were also approved.

Controversial Draft Legislation

Central to the debate is the Basic Law: Torah Study bill, which seeks to enshrine Torah study as a fundamental value in Israel’s Basic Laws, along with separate legislation to temporarily freeze arrests of haredi draft evaders. Critics argue these bills encourage draft evasion and allow yeshiva students to continue receiving state benefits despite the IDF’s severe manpower crisis.

The haredi parties have consistently pushed the coalition to advance legislation without increasing enlistment. The IDF has warned of urgent manpower shortages following over two years of war. In April, the High Court of Justice ordered steps to revoke financial benefits from draft evaders and move toward criminal enforcement against haredi men evading military service. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir recently stated the IDF could collapse without addressing the manpower shortage.

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