Shas could consider joining and supporting a government led by Yashar’s Gadi Eisenkot if the status of yeshiva students is resolved, but is waiting for United Torah Judaism to take the first step away from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political bloc, journalist Yishai Cohen told 103FM on Sunday.
While some in the political establishment tend to view the haredi parties as a single bloc, the reality is considerably more complicated. Shas is currently treading carefully, waiting for United Torah Judaism to open the door to a move from Netanyahu's bloc to the bloc seeking to form a government of change.
"From what I know, over the past week there has been talk that Shas would oppose it at the initial stage, but if the status of yeshiva students is regulated, Shas would consider joining and supporting this government," Cohen, a reporter for the haredi news website Kikar Hashabbat, explained.
According to Cohen, "United Torah Judaism will be Shas's 'Shabbos goy.'"
Cohen attributed Shas's hesitation to the composition of its electorate.
"Shas suffered a very serious blow in these elections. According to the breakdown conducted by Shas, it has approximately 100,000 traditional voters. It cannot afford to take another hit and alienate those who want to see Prime Minister Netanyahu."
Shas takes wait-and-see approach as coalition talks take shape
For that reason, the Sephardi haredi party is currently adopting a wait-and-see approach.
"If it sees that the government is stable in the long term, it will be able to say: 'We were dragged into this situation, we didn't want it, we supported Netanyahu, but we were dragged into it,'" he noted.
Cohen attributed Shas's hesitation to the composition of its electorate.
"Shas suffered a very serious blow in these elections. According to the breakdown conducted by Shas, it has approximately 100,000 traditional voters. It cannot afford to take another hit and alienate those who want to see Prime Minister Netanyahu."
For that reason, the Sephardi haredi party is currently adopting a wait-and-see approach.
"If it sees that the government is stable in the long term, it will be able to say: 'We were dragged into this situation, we didn't want it, we supported Netanyahu, but we were dragged into it,'" he noted.
Asked what would happen if Rabbi Dov Landau, a leading Lithuanian haredi rabbi, instructed Shas to join the coalition as well, Cohen said he considered such a scenario unlikely, stressing that Shas has its own independent religious leadership.
"I don't think Rabbi Landau will give such an instruction, but even if he does, it won't happen. Each party has its own religious leadership. I know it appears as though Shas is subordinate to the Lithuanian leadership, but under Shas's current leadership, headed by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, even if United Torah Judaism acts differently, this is what we will see from Shas."
Coalition uncertainty clouds prospects of Shas joining Eisenkot government
Nevertheless, Cohen cautioned that the discussion was premature.
"Let's first see whether they even manage to form a coalition."
Despite those reservations, a solution to the military draft crisis remains particularly appealing to the haredi public.
"For the past four years, we have been talking about one issue that concerns the haredi public: regulating the status of yeshiva students," Cohen explained.
"Within the haredi community, there is a readiness to join a government of change that is not a Netanyahu government, particularly among the Ashkenazi public, but also among the Sephardi public."
At the same time, Cohen sought to remind supporters of a government of change that bringing the haredi parties into a coalition would have far-reaching implications for the country's religious character.
"It's not just this issue. If such a government is formed, it will have far-reaching implications. Rabbi Dov Landau, who would give his backing to the establishment of such a government, will not allow a government that permits public transportation on Shabbat and civil marriage. The entire issue of religion and state..."