A continued political partnership with the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties could endanger Israel, Likud MK Dan Illouz told The Jerusalem Post in a recent interview, saying that it was time to initiate a break between the years-long alliance ahead of the upcoming elections.
Illouz is one of the vocal critics of the contentious legislation being advanced by the haredi parties from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud Party.
Among the legislation being advanced is a bill that seeks to enshrine Torah study in the country’s Basic Law as part of a proposal pushed by haredi parties to encourage draft evasion and change the status of yeshiva students who do not serve, enabling them to continue receiving state benefits.
Another controversial bill is the daycare subsidies legislation, which aims to change the eligibility criteria for daycare subsidies, basing it solely on a mother’s income, in a move that critics argue will encourage state subsidies for parents of draft evaders even amid the IDF’s severe manpower shortage.
Both recently passed their preliminary readings in the Knesset. The haredi parties have threatened to halt their voting with the coalition until there is progress with the bills, causing other legislation to be delayed in being advanced. It remains unclear whether the bills will be able to progress further, as lawmakers from the opposition and some from the coalition, including Illouz, vow not to vote in favor of them.
Haredim could pose a 'danger' to the state - MK Illouz
Responding to the political deals and threats from the haredi parties, Illouz told the Post that the time has come to sever ties with them.
“We’ve had a coalition partnership with the haredim for quite some time now, but we’re in a place where what they’re asking, in my eyes, can be a danger to the future of the state of Israel,” he said.
He spoke on the potential damage of the partnership with the haredi parties if things continue as they are: “If the army doesn’t have enough soldiers, then that’s a danger to our ability to protect the state of Israel.”
Illouz also said that the economy takes a severe hit as well from haredi draft evasion.
“If this continues as the haredi community grows, then we won’t be able to manage an actual economy here in Israel,” he said. “I think that we’re at a point where we need to look at the situation very bluntly and understand that the partnership with the haredim does more harm than it does good right now”
Illouz said that he has called on the coalition to attempt to seek other partnerships: “I believe that the ideology that I represent: the right-wing, free market, hawkish ideology, is the one that needs to lead the country. But I don’t believe that the coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties is actually something which is helping us advance this ideology.”
Regarding haredi parties’ warnings that they will end the partnership themselves, Illouz said that “I don’t think we should see it as a threat. I think that we’re the ones that need to initiate this break.”
Speaking on the content of bills being advanced by the haredi parties, Illouz explained that in a post-October 7 reality, Likud or any Zionist party cannot continue to support such legislation.
“Since October 7, we are in a time where the army is begging for more soldiers and where the people who do serve are serving extended amounts of time, including reserve soldiers that have family, jobs that they’re sacrificing in order to serve,” he said.
“And that in this situation, we cannot as a Zionist party, the Likud, condone or advance the continuation of the current situation where a whole sector of the population does not serve and keeps getting benefits from the state,” he explained.
“And by the way, it’s true of the ultra-Orthodox, and it’s also true of the Arab community. In those two communities, very big numbers do not serve, he added.
Illouz also stressed it was important to ensure that state benefits “are really directed to that population which is serving.”
Illouz stressed that service in the IDF and keeping the Torah are compatible
He added that as a religious person, the Basic Law: Torah Study bill was an affront to his religious beliefs.
“I believe that Judaism and Torah are a call for taking responsibility. It’s a call for when your brothers are in danger, you go out and you help them. It’s not a call for sitting down and not doing anything. And the bill right now is actually warping what Torah actually is,” he said.
When asked if there was any recent response from Netanyahu about his voting against the coalition, Illouz said that there had not been.
He noted that when out in the field, he sensed that many Likud supporters feel that he is representing their ideology.
“At the end of the day, Likudnikim are people who serve in the army. They send their kids to serve in the army. They themselves do reserve duty, and they’re very happy that someone is representing their values, and so I’m very proud to be the person that is actually representing those values,” Illouz explained.
Regarding if other members of Knesset have responded negatively to his voting, Illouz said that there has not been too harsh of a response.
“Obviously they think differently than I do, not necessarily on substance,” he said. “But many agree with me. They don’t necessarily believe that we need to go all the way until breaking the historic partnership with the haredim, but that’s a legitimate argument to have.”
While the Likud holds primaries to determine its Knesset list, which have been set to take place no later than July 28, there have been numerous reports that Netanyahu has been seeking to change the method of conducting the primaries this year to grant the premier more control over who is in the highest spots on the list.
Regarding such reports, Illouz said he was aware that Netanyahu wants more influence as to the number of people he can nominate to the list.
“I do understand that the prime minister says that this election is different from others and that he needs to have more influence. I’ve [also] seen reports about canceling the primaries, but I don’t believe that that will happen. I think that would be very bad for the Likud,” he said.
Parties are not mandated to hold primaries in Israel, and Illouz explained that he was “very proud to be the only democratic party right now in the Knesset. We’re very proud about this title, and I don’t think that we’d want to let it go.”
Speaking on the process of the Likud primaries, Illouz said that this year’s primary race specifically will be “incredibly competitive.”
He said that the party “has a lot of members of Knesset, and the way the Likud works is that only 21 spots are for existing members of Knesset.”
“So we have over 40 people that will be running for around 20 spots,” he said.
Illouz added that his current goal was to get elected in the primaries, with “the hope that the Likud can feel that I’m the one who represents their voice.”