Smotrich Denies Reports that Party Will Back Draft Bill

Religious Zionism chair Betzalel Smotrich denied reports that the party is set to back the government’s Charedi draft bill, following a meeting with rabbis on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s meeting, according to Arutz 7, focused on the vocal public opposition that erupted over the possibility that the party might endorse the bill. Party MKs joined a panel of rabbis who were invited to outline their concerns about the bill’s repercussions.

Among those present were Rabbi Chaim Gantz, Rabbi Chananel Etrog, Rabbi Chaim Wolfson, Rabbi Eliyahu Blumenzwieg, and Rabbi Yaakov Medan. Notably absent were Rabbi Tzvi Thau, rabbinic leader of Religious Zionism’s faction, and other rabbanim known as “Charedi-Dati Leumi.” Rabbi Thau and other prominent figures, such as Rabbi David Chai Hakohen, instructed their followers to join the massive “million march” in October to oppose the draft.

According to the Religious Finish party’s statement, the gathering was intended to “examine ways to enable significant Charedi enlistment to the IDF,” reflecting the sharp disagreements over the bill’s current terms. Opinions varied widely: some warned that the proposal would achieve little in practice, while others cautioned that the party risked damaging its credibility with the religious Zionist public following earlier unfulfilled assurances to the Hesder yeshivas, and breaking its working relationships with Likud and Charedi parties.

By the meeting’s end, participants agreed that the party should push for changes to the legislation, according to Arutz 7, which reported that Smotrich adopted the rabbis’ stance.

After news broke that the party would support the bill, Religious Zionism released a statement that insists it will “vote only for a law that will bring about real and rapid enlistment of Charedim into the IDF, in order to meet Israel’s security needs and ease the burden on the fighters and their families.” According to the party’s statement, “Last night, a joint meeting was held between the faction members and a broad forum of yeshiva heads, whose tens of thousands of students are leading the enlistment in this war, both in regular army service and in the reserves. Contrary to various reports, no practical decisions have yet been made, and the faction is consolidating its demands and conditions for supporting the law.”