From the Liveblog of
Monday, August 5, 2024
Ben Gvir’s party renews spat with Shas, threatens to block bills if not given more influence over war
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party reiterates its threat to block the passage of a key piece of Shas-backed legislation until Ben Gvir is given greater say over the running of the war in Gaza, again highlighting ongoing tensions between the members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition.
“We stand by the demand to include the national security minister in the limited forum, and until [Shas chief Aryeh] Deri removes his objection to adding Minister Ben Gvir to the limited forum and the prime minister allows it, the Rabbis Law will not pass,” Otzma Yehudit says in a statement blaming the ultra-Orthodox party for limiting his influence.
The ultranationalist party also claims Shas and associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have threatened to torpedo three of Otzma Yehudit’s bills unless it supports the Rabbis Law, which seeks to grant the religious services minister the power to allocate additional funds to local religious councils around the country.
“It is unfortunate that Likud is trying to trade in laws aimed at protecting against sex offenders and criminal organizations and aggravating punishment for minor terrorists in exchange for support for Deri’s patronage law,” Otzma Yehudit accuses.
Ben Gvir has actively thwarted legislation pushed by fellow coalition member Shas in order to pressure the premier to appoint him to the no-longer-extant war cabinet. Shas is reported to have blocked his participation, a claim that Shas denies.
Late last month, several days before the beginning of the Knesset recess, a vote on the bill was postponed due to the parties’ spat. It was the second delay in less than a month, following a previous incident in which Ben Gvir’s opposition led to a walkout by Shas lawmakers.
The bill was dropped again on the last day of the legislation session in the wake of a rocket attack that killed 12 children in the northern Druze town of Majdal Shams — but was again placed on the agenda as part of a special plenum session being held today.
