Shas and Degel HaTorah issued a joint statement Tuesday evening denying reports of a legislative deal with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The parties reiterated that their demand to advance a Basic Law: Torah Study and a bill preventing arrests of yeshiva students stands independently, and they will only resume voting for coalition legislation once those laws are substantially advanced.
Shas and Degel HaTorah on Tuesday evening forcefully denied any secret deal with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling such reports unfounded. In a joint statement, the parties said their demand for advancing the Basic Law: Torah Study and a bill to prevent arrests of yeshiva students stands on its own, with no conditions or trade-offs. The statement adds that only upon demonstrable progress on these bills will the parties resume voting for coalition legislation, as instructed by their rabbinical leadership.
The denial comes after reports in several Israeli media outlets suggested that a quiet understanding had been reached between the Haredi parties and Likud to advance parts of their legislative agenda in exchange for coalition stability. Shas chairman Aryeh Deri had earlier this week conditioned all coalition votes on the Torah Study Basic Law and a halt to arrests of draft-evading yeshiva students, as The Zioneer reported Monday. Degel HaTorah's clarification now places the two parties in the same firm position, pushing back against speculation of informal back-channel deals.
What remains open is whether progress on the legislation will materialize in the current Knesset session. The Haredi parties have not specified a timeline for assessing the government's practical steps.
- StrongDeri to coalition: no votes for any legislation unless Torah Study Basic Law advances
- DevelopingShas and Degel HaTorah Torah Study Basic Law bills diverge in Knesset vote schedule
- StrongHaredi parties issue ultimatum to Netanyahu: pass Torah Study law or face Knesset dissolution
- DevelopingReligious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit remain silent on reported Netanyahu-Haredi deal
Source and signal
- Internal intake