Ashkenazic-haredi United Torah Judaism has clarified that it will follow only the instructions of senior Torah sages in coalition agreements, warning that its positions on religion and state are firm.
"We have an unequivocal directive from the Torah sages to negotiate with anyone who agrees to resolve the status of yeshiva students, and that is what we will do," a senior United Torah Judaism official told Kikar HaShabbat.
The official added that the coming days would test whether the bloc was genuinely willing to compromise on exempting yeshiva students from military service.
"It's obvious that the Draft Law is the central issue," the official admitted. "But there is no doubt that any cooperation by us with anyone will require fully preserving the status quo on all issues of religion and state. Anyone who thinks we will get the Draft Law and agree to compromise on other issues is mistaken and misleading others. We will not agree to any changes on these issues, from Shabbat and kashrut to conversion."
Meanwhile, a senior Degel HaTorah official said, "Anyone dreaming of compromises on religion and state does not know Rabbi Dov Lando. A government formed by his decision will change nothing, nothing! It will have to prove its loyalty far more than Netanyahu’s government."
Earlier, United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher wrote, "Of course, every proposal will first be brought for a decision by the ‘in-laws,’ the leading Torah sages of our generation."
Haredi political figures see little chance of an immediate breakthrough. The senior official said the process would likely be complicated and drawn out, particularly in light of the current political circumstances.
"It will take time, perhaps a long time," he said. "I doubt any agreement will be reached while Gadi Eisenkot holds the mandate."
At the same time, he stressed, "We are not part of the ‘Netanyahu bloc,’ but it is important to make clear that we are not part of the ‘change bloc’ either. We belong to one bloc only, the bloc of Torah students, and our sole mission is to resolve the status of yeshiva students."