Shas issued an official statement Tuesday morning disavowing the harsh remarks against the IDF chief of staff that were heard at a protest rally in Bnei Brak Monday evening. The party said the comments do not reflect the views of the Council of Torah Sages nor the movement's path, as laid down by its late spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, and as expressed in a speech by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef at the rally.
Shas on Tuesday moved to contain the fallout from a fiery speech at a protest rally in Bnei Brak the previous evening, where speakers harshly attacked the IDF chief of staff. In an official statement, the party distanced itself from what it called 'extreme remarks' and insisted they do not represent the Council of Torah Sages or the movement's tradition, as taught by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. The party contrasted the comments with a speech at the same rally by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the Sephardic chief rabbi, whom they described as upholding Shas' path.
The rally itself was part of a broader protest by sectors of the Torah-observant public against a perceived crackdown on yeshiva students. As The Zioneer reported Monday, Shas had earlier issued a statement calling for the Haredi public to join these protests — a reversal of its previous caution. The party is now balancing the pressure to defend yeshiva studies with the political cost of publicly attacking a top military figure. No further statements from the IDF or other officials have been reported so far.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake