The Sephardic-haredi Shas party has given the green light to advance the Draft Law in the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
The decision comes a day after a letter Lithuanian-haredi Degel Hatorah's leaders announced their support for the bill.
Approximately two weeks ago, the Committee of Yeshiva Heads convened under Rabbi Shmuel Betzalel, a member of the Council of Torah Sages and head of Yeshivat Porat Yosef.
According to a Thursday morning report in Shas’ Haderech newspaper, the Committee's rabbis received a detailed briefing on the details of the proposal from former minister Ariel Atias and MK Yinon Azoulay. Following this, the committee held extended discussions on the law’s details.
Following the discussions, the representatives were instructed to advance the legislation currently before the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. It was emphasized that throughout the legislative process in the Knesset, continued consultations will be held with the Council of Torah Sages and the Committee of Yeshiva Heads, and the representatives will act solely according to rabbinic guidance until the final version is formulated.
The Council of Torah Sages addressed accusations against Shas MKs which claimed that they are not acting in accordance with rabbinic directives. The Council clarified that the MKs are “100% subordinate” to rabbinic leadership and strongly condemned recent protests outside the MKs' homes.
"We cannot remain silent when disreputable individuals acting with lies and deceit to sow division among the Torah community, and open their mouths to mislead the public, as if there were a rift among the Torah leaders. Let the mouths of liars be silenced," the letter read.
"And there are those who persecute the emissaries of the rabbis, who faithfully carry out this sacred task in full obedience to Torah leadership and our guidance. We hereby strengthen the hands of our devoted representatives, led by our dear friend and man of many actions, who heads this holy movement, Rabbi Aryeh Deri, so that he may continue standing firm in defense of the Torah world.”
In recent days, violent protests have taken place outside the homes of haredi MKs, including an attack on Shas MK Yoav Ben Tzur and demonstrations outside the homes of UTJ MK Yakov Asher and Shas MK Yinon Azoulay.