Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu pulled off a political win on Thursday morning, solving several thorny issues as the race to legislate a Chareidi draft law continues.

Degel HaTorah MKs have made it clear that they will not vote in support of the state budget until a draft law is passed. Complicating matters, there is a dispute over the bill within the joint UTJ party, comprised of the litvish Degel HaTorah and chassidish Agudas Yisrael factions, with the Gerrer Rebbe and other Rebbes firmly opposed to a draft law and the Litvish Gedolei HaTorah in favor (to avoid the arrests of Bnei Torah, which pose serious ruchiyus and practical issues). MK Yitzchak Goldknopf and other Agudas Yisrael MKs have signaled their intention to oppose a draft law.

According to a report by Channel 12, Netanyahu managed to cause a crack in the opposition to the bill within Agudas Yisrael by conducting talks with Belzer representatives. At the conclusion of the talks, the Belzer Rebbe approved MK Eichler’s return to the coalition. Eichler will be appointed as the Deputy Minister of Communications, with the appointment expected to be approved later on Thursday via a telephone vote of ministers.

Netanyahu’s move to bring Eichler, an Agudas Yisrael representative, back into the government effectively breaks apart the party’s opposition to the draft law, since MK Meir Porush, who shares a political alliance with Belz, is also unlikely to oppose the bill, leaving Goldknopf isolated, although it is possible that the Vizhnitz representative may join him.

Eichler’s appointment is also slated to resolve an internal political agreement within UTJ, aimed at restoring the balance of power and representation between its two parties—Degel HaTorah and Agudat Yisrael.

The tension began when Degel HaTorah MK Yitzchak Pindrus was forced out of the Knesset in July after UTJ temporarily left the coalition due to the lack of advancement regarding the draft bill, changing the internal balance of power, with Agudas Yisrael holding four seats and Degel HaTorah only three. This disparity created tensions and led to extended negotiations aimed at restoring parity within the joint faction.

Under the new agreement, once Eichler’s appointment becomes official, he will resign from the Knesset, allowing Pindrus to return to the Knesset under the Norwegian Law. This move will reestablish numerical equality between the two factions within UTJ and provide one more vote for the draft law, effectively ending the internal dispute between Degel HaTorah and Agudas Yisrael. The dispute had even reached a Beis Din—with Degel demanding that Eichler vacate his seat for Pindrus.

Eichler will be the only Chareidi politician serving in an official government position since the Chareidi parties withdrew from the government and ministerial positions.

On Wednesday evening, two members of Agudas Yisrael’s Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah—the Sanzer and Modzitz Rebbes—arrived at the home of HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, where they were joined by HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch for a meeting regarding the joint party’s position on the Chareidi draft law.

Prior to the meeting, the Modzhitz Rebbe met with the Gerrer Rebbe and then held a consultation with the Sanzer Rebbe.

During the meeting, the Rebbes presented the opposition of the Chassidish Moetzes to the bill and attempted to persuade the Roshei Yeshivos of Slabodka to join the move and present a unified Chareidi stance against the draft law. However, the discussion ended after about an hour without reaching a conclusion.

The meeting took place a week after the gathering of the chassidish Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah last week in Jerusalem, attended by the Rebbes of Gur, Belz, Vizhnitz, Sanz, Boyan, Seret-Vizhnitz, and Modzitz. A firm decision was made at the gathering to refuse any draft law that includes sanctions.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)