According to a report, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich are calling on Haredi hesder yeshivas to support controversial legislation in exchange for increased budgets. The appeal underscores ongoing coalition negotiations over the Torah Study Basic Law and related bills.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have reportedly appealed directly to Haredi hesder yeshivas, urging them to support controversial legislation in return for increased budgets. The message, as disclosed, ties political backing for disputed coalition bills—central to the government's stability—to financial incentives for the yeshiva system.
The appeal arrives amid protracted coalition negotiations that have dominated Israeli politics in recent weeks. The Zioneer has previously documented the efforts to advance the Basic Law: Torah Study and other legislative packages, which have been a core demand of the Haredi parties in exchange for their continued support of the government. Background reports have highlighted the interconnectedness of budget allocations, enlistment reforms, and the Torah Study legislation.
The direct outreach to the hesder yeshiva framework—which traditionally combines Torah study with military service—marks a notable escalation in the coalition's effort to secure the necessary votes. The specific budgets referenced and the exact legislative package remain unconfirmed, but the development signals the intensity of the current political maneuvering.
2 developments
- DevelopingHaredi official accuses Smotrich of using Finance Ministry opinions to block Torah study law
- StrongSmotrich opposes ultra-Orthodox Torah-study Basic Law bill
- StrongNetanyahu and Haredi parties set to advance coalition deal despite protests
- StrongHaredi parties press Netanyahu to bring Torah Study vote to Knesset plenum today
Source and signal
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- Internal intake