Shas Leader Deri Conditions Coalition Entry on Yeshiva Draft Exemption

Shas leader Aryeh Deri has set an unequivocal condition for his party joining any future coalition, amid growing public uproar over the conscription of yeshiva students and the arrest of military draft evaders. Deri addressed the deep concerns within the ultra-Orthodox public regarding the enforcement of draft orders.

In sharp remarks, Deri described the anxiety within the ultra-Orthodox sector and clarified the party's stance: "Entire families live in uncertainty and fear. Fathers and mothers send their son to yeshiva in the morning, fearing the day he might be arrested and sent to prison. We will not enter any government before the status of Torah scholars is regulated."

These statements drew harsh reactions from journalists and politicians in Israel. Among them, former Prime Minister and leader of the "Be-Yachad" list, Naftali Bennett, responded: "A government without a heart. After we thought they had crossed every record, Deri presents a disconnect we have never seen. On the day we all weep for the sons who fell in battle and the citizens slaughtered in their homes, and while thousands of mothers do not sleep because their sons will never return from battle, Deri displays wickedness and callousness."

Bennett added: "I am sure this statement pierces the hearts of hundreds of thousands of Likudniks whose children are currently on the battlefield. They cannot believe these are Netanyahu's partners. The equation is clear: a vote for Netanyahu is a vote for Deri and unbearable detachment."

Deri's remarks follow an escalation in ultra-Orthodox protests against the arrest of draft evaders, which peaked in nocturnal clashes in Modi'in following the arrest of a yeshiva student. The issue is fueling a sweeping political storm, with the opposition calling for an end to state funding and universal conscription, while ultra-Orthodox leaders demand formal legislative protection for full-time Torah scholars.