Report: As PM seeks Haredi loyalty after election, ultra-Orthodox leaders non-committal

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently met with Haredi leaders and asked them to promise that they will remain an inseparable part of his right-wing bloc following the elections, Channel 12 reports.

According to the network, Shas party leader Aryeh Deri told the prime minister that without the passage of two laws to defend draft dodgers, there was nothing to talk about — specifically the Basic Law declaring Torah study a foundational value of the state, and temporary legislation to halt the arrests of Haredi draft dodgers for 90 days.

Leaders of United Torah Judaism were even less committal, the report said: Moshe Gafni of the Degel HaTorah faction told the premier that its support was not assured, and that its spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando had ruled that “as of now, there is no bloc.” Meanwhile, the Agudat Yisrael faction conveyed that it expected the Israeli leader to pass the bills before it would discuss the matter.

The coalition has been rushing to pass the laws to protect draft dodgers from arrest and financial sanctions, upon the demand of the Haredi factions, before the Knesset dissolves on July 17. The legislation is extremely unpopular among the general public, but Netanyahu views it as crucial to his chances of holding onto power.