Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef stated on Tuesday that he will back Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi's broadcast law only after the Basic Law: Torah Study, the arrest freeze bill, and the kashrut bill pass third reading, and that the reservations of MK Maoz be included. The remarks come amid ongoing coalition negotiations over the media reform legislation.
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the spiritual leader of the Shas party, issued a statement Tuesday morning conditioning his support for Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi's broadcast law on the passage of three coalition bills: the Basic Law: Torah Study, the arrest freeze bill, and the kashrut bill, all in third reading. He also demanded that the reservations of MK Maoz be included in the legislation.
The statement follows an earlier report Tuesday by The Zioneer that Rabbi Yosef had instructed Shas chairman Aryeh Deri to support all coalition bills, including the broadcast law, to secure Haredi draft exemptions. The latest remarks add specific legislative conditions to that backing, signaling that the media reform bill's fate remains tied to a broader package of coalition priorities.
The broadcast law, which seeks to restructure Israel's media landscape, has faced opposition from United Torah Judaism and other coalition members. The Torah Study Basic Law has been a central demand of Haredi parties, while the arrest freeze and kashrut bills address separate coalition agreements. The inclusion of Maoz's reservations suggests Religious Zionism's influence on the final text.
It remains unclear whether the coalition can secure the required votes for all three bills simultaneously, and whether the broadcast law will advance in the Knesset absent a broader agreement.
2 developments
- StrongRabbi Yosef instructs Deri to back all coalition bills, including broadcast law, to secure Haredi draft exemptions
- DevelopingChanges to Torah Study Basic Law being negotiated after preliminary vote
- StrongDeri to coalition: no votes for any legislation unless Torah Study Basic Law advances
- StrongUnited Torah Judaism joins Shas in blocking coalition legislation unless draft-evader arrests end and Torah study Basic Law passes
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
- Internal intake