A United Torah Judaism source told N12 that Shas leader Aryeh Deri does not actually want MK Moshe Gafni's daycare funding bill to pass and is pushing unrealistic alternatives — a new draft law and the Torah Study Basic Law — while 'selling stories' to Prime Minister Netanyahu. The source said UTJ made clear to Netanyahu that stopping the daycare bill would mean 'breaking the tools' with consequences for all future coalition cooperation.
A source within United Torah Judaism (UTJ) told N12 on Tuesday afternoon that Shas leader Aryeh Deri is actively undermining the daycare funding bill (חוק המעונות) advanced by UTJ MKs Moshe Gafni and Israel Eichler. According to the source, Deri does not actually want the bill to pass and is instead pitching the prime minister on unrealistic alternatives — a new conscription law framework and the Basic Law: Torah Study — while 'selling stories' to Netanyahu. The source said UTJ warned Netanyahu directly that blocking the daycare bill would constitute 'breaking the tools' and damage coalition cooperation across the board.
The remarks come against a backdrop of weeks of coalition infighting over the daycare bill and related Haredi draft legislation. As The Zioneer reported, Netanyahu told Haredi leaders on Tuesday that the coalition lacks a majority for the daycare bill. A previous coalition deal described by Amit Segal (N12) on June 15 would have shelved the daycare bill in favor of legislating a portion of the draft law — a move Deri now appears to be pushing, according to the UTJ source. The UTJ official's characterization of Deri's approach as unrealistic suggests the internal coalition rift over Haredi legislation is far from resolved.
2 developments
- DevelopingNetanyahu tells Haredi leaders: no majority for daycare bill
- StrongUTJ furious as coalition delays daycare funding vote; Gafni lashes out at Likud
- DevelopingGafni says PM and Likud pledged to pass daycare bill, warns coalition against any delay
- StrongShas and UTJ halt coalition voting in Knesset over daycare bill delay
Source and signal
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- Internal intake