Shas chairman Aryeh Deri on Thursday morning set a condition for the party’s participation in the next government, demanding that the status of yeshiva students be arranged even before the coalition is formed, Haderech, the party’s official newspaper, reported.
“Without advancing the law, there is no point in the existence of the current government," Haderech wrote in its main headline.
Shas is thereby joining the calls for dissolving the Knesset, but in a relatively moderate approach compared to that of the Lithuanian-haredi parties. While the Lithuanian-haredi newspapers on Wednesday published harsh headlines against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Shas is refraining from a complete break and is maintaining cautious language.
The difference in wording is significant: Shas is demanding the “advancement" of the law, rather than the completion of its legislation as a precondition, allowing for greater flexibility. At the same time, the party clarified that ahead of the next government, the issue of exempting yeshiva students from military service must be part of the preliminary agreements.
In an article in the party newspaper, Shas spokesman Asher Medina wrote that “anyone who thinks that a left-wing government will solve the problems is detached from reality," emphasizing that the common denominator of the opposition blocs is “hostility toward the haredim." Shas officials stress that they do not intend to move to the left-wing camp even if elections are held.
Unlike the Lithuanian haredi parties, which declared a loss of trust in Netanyahu, Shas is using terms such as “disappointment" and “pain," conveying criticism from within. The party stressed that it sees itself as part of the right-wing bloc even after the upcoming elections.