Haredi Leaders Admit to Buying Time on Draft Law Ahead of Elections
Ultra-Orthodox leaders escalate election rhetoric as Shas chief Aryeh Deri admits to a strategy of buying time on the draft law, drawing sharp criticism from Naftali Bennett and Yisrael Beytenu.
Ultra-Orthodox party leaders are escalating their rhetoric ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections, directly addressing the military conscription crisis and the ongoing clash with the Attorney General. Shas leader Aryeh Deri delivered a candid statement regarding the Haredi strategy surrounding the draft law during an activists' conference.
The Strategy: Buying Time
During the conference, Deri revealed to attendees that the directive given to Haredi politicians by leading Torah sages from both the Sephardic and Ashkenazi sectors is simply to buy time. The Shas chairman clarified that the leadership has concluded that the current crisis over military service cannot truly be resolved under present conditions.
Concurrently, United Torah Judaism faction leader MK Yaakov Asher delivered a sharp speech in Kiryat Ata as part of electoral preparations. Asher targeted the Attorney General, claiming she acts as a political figure whose sole aim is to bring down the right-wing government. According to Asher, this is the primary reason why the Attorney General demands the arrest of yeshiva students during the sensitive election period.
Political Reactions
Naftali Bennett responded to the leaked recordings, stating:
Deri and Netanyahu's time-wasting tactics are costing us soldiers' lives. Our troops are crying out that they need reinforcements, and Deri and Netanyahu are simply laughing in their faces.
Meanwhile, Yisrael Beytenu issued a harsh response to Deri's admissions, stating that the Netanyahu-Goldknopf-Deri government never intended to draft evaders. The party vowed that on October 27, the evasion celebration will end, and the next government will enforce universal conscription.