48 MKs: The number of legislators UTJ rabbis want to sign a draft exemption pledge
Religious advisers to United Torah Judaism are seeking written guarantees from the anti-Netanyahu bloc, a demand that exceeds the scope of previous campaign promises and creates friction in coalition talks.
By Nia Foster ·
Rabbinic advisers for the Agudat Yisrael faction of United Torah Judaism are reportedly demanding written commitments from all 48 members of the bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The leaders of several Hasidic communities drafted a document arguing that every legislator in the bloc, led by Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot, must sign a pledge. This pledge would guarantee the passage of a law granting blanket military exemptions to Haredi yeshiva students. The document also requires an override clause to prevent the High Court of Justice from striking down the legislation, which legal experts describe as likely unconstitutional.
The demand goes beyond what the four parties in the Eisenkot bloc were prepared to accept during the October 27 election campaign. The rabbis are also urging the three-member Agudat Yisrael faction to seek the attorney general's approval for the bill in advance. This step faces legal obstacles, as Channel 13 reported that the Eisenkot bloc has secured a professional opinion concluding that no draft evasion legislation can survive a court challenge. To entice United Torah Judaism to join the coalition, the bloc is considering freezing arrests of draft dodgers for up to a year. It remains unclear whether this measure would be enacted through a cabinet decision or Knesset legislation, though both options likely face legal hurdles.
United Torah Judaism holds seven seats in the Knesset, which is insufficient for the bloc to reach the 61 seats required for a majority. The bloc also needs the support of Shas, another ultra-Orthodox party with seven seats. Shas recommended that Netanyahu form the next government, unlike United Torah Judaism, which did not recommend any candidate. If Shas declines to join, the Eisenkot bloc will need the support of at least one of the two Arab-led parties. Netanyahu is working to prevent the ultra-Orthodox parties from joining Eisenkot by arguing that the Arab parties would block any effort to bring down a coalition government.
Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid stated on Thursday that the Eisenkot-led bloc will form the next government. Lapid acknowledged that the process will require major compromises and take time. He described the formation of a government as an act of national responsibility, noting that coalition agreements are never perfect. Eisenkot made similar remarks on Sunday when he accepted the mandate to form a coalition, stating that not every party would be able to fulfill its campaign promises.
Kan reported that Ra’am and Joint List leaders have been in regular contact with senior United Torah Judaism officials. Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas has urged United Torah Judaism to open talks with the Eisenkot bloc on military service legislation. Abbas argues that such negotiations would give the draft arrangement broader legitimacy. United Torah Judaism chairman Yaakov Asher has spoken with Abbas and Joint List No. 2 Ahmad Tibi in recent days. The parties have also discussed freezing the Kaminitz Law, which facilitates the destruction of buildings in areas where obtaining permits is difficult. Freezing the law is a demand of the Joint List, and United Torah Judaism has not ruled out supporting it.
Haaretz reported that Jacob Bardugo, a new Likud MK and longtime confidant of Netanyahu, has expanded his influence within the party. Bardugo attends Netanyahu's political consultations almost daily, often without an appointment. He urged the Prime Minister to take an aggressive approach to challenging the election results, including proposing demonstrations to annul the vote. One attendee at a meeting during election week described Bardugo as being in a frenzy. He said Bardugo wanted to run a campaign similar to the one Donald Trump launched in 2020.
Bardugo's influence was evident in Netanyahu's speech to lawmakers on Tuesday after the new Knesset was sworn in. The address included inflammatory remarks against Arab lawmakers and differed from the shorter draft prepared by Netanyahu and his advisers. Sources in the Prime Minister's office told Haaretz that Bardugo and Netanyahu's wife, Sara, entered the room before he delivered the altered speech. Sara reportedly attends between a third and half of Netanyahu's political consultation group meetings.
