The Moetzas Gedolei Yisrael of Agudas Yisrael has rejected the Shaked draft for a new conscription law that has been in the works, representing countless hours dedicated to finding a solution and avoiding elections.
The first point the Admorim made was they will not support the budget in exchange for a draft plan, but only after the draft bill passes all three readings in Knesset and becomes law. Hence the current draft is not of interest to the Admorim, who are being asked to have their representative support the state budget. The latter will only occur if and when a new draft bill is voted into law.
However, the Admorim have directed their four representatives in Knesset, MKs Eicher and Moses, and Deputy Ministers Porush and Litman, to continue efforts towards finding an acceptable solution and avoiding elections.
According to a Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) report, the Gerrer Rebbe rejected the Shaked plan.
Secretary of the Torah Council Rav Mordechai Stern sent a letter on Sunday, 24 Adar to the elected representatives, informing them there has been no change – that the draft law must pass all three readings prior to supporting the budget.
The compromise proposal promoted by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit includes amendments to the bill that is on the agenda of the Ministerial Legislation Committee. According to the plan, the number of chareidi recruits will be approximately 3,800 in each round of recruitment. This number includes IDF service as well as approved national service. The number is expected to rise gradually.
The Moetzas Gedolei Torah was asked to agree to have the draft law approved in a preliminary reading only before backing the state budget, and to continue the legislative process regarding the draft law in the summer. This is contrary to the threats from chareidi MKs, who all insisted they draft law must be approved in all three readings prior to their supporting the budget. The Council has rejected the request, placing the ball back in the Prime Minister’s court.
Shas Chairman Minister Aryeh Deri and Degel Hatorah leader MK Moshe Gafne have been updated on the decision of the admorim. On motzei Shabbos, Degel MKs visited with HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky to brief the Gadol Hador and receive guidance. HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein accompanied them as well.
According to Yisrael Hayom and others, it appears Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has made up his mind and prefers elections within three months due to the ongoing probes against him by police.
If Mr. Netanyahu can accomplish this, he will be past elections when Attorney General Mandelblit announces his decision, for that decision is likely to take a number of months.
Expecting to win in elections should they take place, PM Netanyahu prefers being prime minister in a new stable coalition when the announcement of an indictment is made, and not in the current crisis or during the transition between declaring elections and the actual voting. Hence, it is likely Netanyahu will push for a quick period until elections, a period that will not exceed three months.
According to recent polls, this will leave Yahadut Hatorah in more or less the same position, but Shas is likely to fall out of Knesset or become a marginal party of four seats. The biggest challenge will be dealing with formulating a coalition that is likely to contain a Yesh Atid party with 20 or more seats.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
“…has rejected the Shaked draft for a new conscription law that has been in the works, representing countless hours dedicated to finding a solution and avoiding elections” – Why the negative attitude against the Rabbanim?