Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef to his students: Netanyahu hates us - we must topple the right-wing bloc

Students and associates of former Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef reported that he asked them not to vote for the Shas party in the upcoming elections, despite his position on the party's Council of Torah Sages. According to a report by Aaron Rabinowitz on the "Haaretz" website, the Rabbi also stated that the Haredim should topple the right-wing bloc.

One of Yosef's students recounted that the Rabbi told him on several occasions that the right does not love the Haredi public, and that it is the left that respects religion. "He told me: 'Netanyahu and Religious Zionism hate us, but the left respects us — with them, you can work.'"

On behalf of Rabbi Yosef, these claims were denied: "It never happened, and it could not have happened. It is regrettable that internal elements are spreading false words in the Rabbi's name to sow division. Their plot will not succeed, and the Sephardic public will remain united."

As previously mentioned, about a week ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the law on freezing the arrest of deserters during a closed discussion. "The temporary arrest law was intended to lower tensions and increase the number of recruits from the Haredi public," he said, but admitted: "In practice, it did not succeed, and therefore, such a law will not exist in the next government."

According to him, "After the elections, we will establish a broad national government that will immediately pass a full conscription law meeting the needs of the IDF." Netanyahu emphasized: "Whoever does not study Torah will be drafted — or will go to prison." Notably, Netanyahu was absent from the vote on this law.

"Netanyahu will not repent — Eisenkot might"

In response to the report on Netanyahu's remarks, United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf attacked the Prime Minister: "Amit Segal's report, according to which the Prime Minister admitted the arrest law 'did not succeed,' only confirms what was clear to us from the start: the Prime Minister does not intend to regulate the status of yeshiva students and does not plan to introduce a conscription law, which is why we left the government."

He emphasized: "The arrest law was just another spin that was not intended to solve anything. After the elections, we will only go with someone who will regulate the status of yeshiva students and avrechim."

About a month ago, the spiritual leader of Shas hinted at his preference for "National Unity" chairman Gadi Eisenkot, telling his students during a weekly lesson: "Netanyahu will not repent — Eisenkot might." The Rabbi added: "We are in a secular state, not a Haredi one. We pray for everyone to repent, but there are those I do not believe will repent. Will Bibi Netanyahu repent? There is no chance."

Shortly before the Rabbi's remarks, Eisenkot criticized the government and the conscription law at a convention in Dimona, stating: "Those who failed on October 7th will not lecture us on morality." He clarified that a conscription law should have been a matter of course since October 7th. He added that those currently in the Israeli government are sabotaging the strengthening of the IDF, and that "parasitism" cannot continue to grow.