Hours before a rally led by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef in Bnei Brak, Shas issued a statement Monday saying the entire Torah-observant public should participate in protests against perceived harm to Torah study — a reversal from the party's earlier position of caution. The party cited a letter from the Council of Torah Sages urging participation, according to journalist Eli Hirshman (N12).
Shas reversed its earlier stance on Haredi draft protests hours before a major rally led by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the Rishon LeZion, is set to take place in Bnei Brak Monday evening. The party declared that the entire Torah-observant public should be 'partners' in the protest against what it described as harm to Torah students, citing a letter from the Council of Torah Sages (Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah) urging participation. The move signals a shift from Shas's prior position: earlier reports cited by The Zioneer had indicated a more cautious tone, with the party focusing on the rally's spiritual character and warning participants not to block roads. The statement comes amid a broader wave of Haredi protests across the country in recent weeks against military conscription enforcement and arrests of yeshiva students who refuse to enlist. The rally in Bnei Brak, led by leading Sephardic rabbis, is expected to draw thousands.
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