Haredi coalition parties are leaning toward accepting Prime Minister Netanyahu's proposal to advance the Torah Study Basic Law as a declarative-only bill, dropping the operative Section 2, a party source told N12. The source said the move aims to keep the law 'clean for Torah learners, without adding soldiers to the law and entering into comparisons.'
Haredi coalition parties are now leaning toward accepting Prime Minister Netanyahu's proposal to pass the Basic Law: Torah Study with only its declarative Section 1, dropping the operative Section 2 that would equate Torah study with military service, a party source told N12's Eli Hirshman on Thursday afternoon. The source said the move is intended to keep the law's text 'clean for Torah learners, without adding soldiers to the law and entering into comparisons,' and that the approved text would serve as a legal basis for further required legislation.
The development marks a significant shift from the parties' earlier position. At 15:22, The Zioneer reported that Degel HaTorah strongly opposed Netanyahu's proposal, while Shas was consulting on its position. Earlier on Thursday, at 11:00, The Zioneer reported that the Haredi parties had filed a reservation to the law reverting to the text that directly equates Torah learners with IDF servicemembers, warning they would block all coalition legislation if the wording was changed.
The Basic Law: Torah Study was approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on June 9, and has been the subject of intense coalition negotiations. The Religious Zionist party was expected to support the bill, while Arab MKs considered boycotting the vote. The law's first Knesset reading was set for Wednesday evening but was delayed amid the dispute over Section 2.
The Haredi parties' new inclination, if finalized, would clear the path for the law to advance without the controversial equality clause, but the proposal remains under discussion and no final decision has been announced.
7 developments
- DevelopingDegel HaTorah Opposes Changes to Torah Study Basic Law, Warns Coalition Legislation May Be Blocked
- DevelopingShas and Degel HaTorah deny any deal with Prime Minister Netanyahu
- DevelopingShas and Degel HaTorah Torah Study Basic Law bills diverge in Knesset vote schedule
- StrongMinisterial committee approves Basic Law: Torah Study; Haredi parties call it merely declarative without equal-status clause
Source and signal
- Internal intake