MK Yair Lapid, No. 2 on the Blue and White list, criticized a compromise to end the crisis over haredi conscription proposed by the haredi factions and first reported in Israel Hayom as "tricky maneuvers."
The idea of mandatory military service for Ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, who have traditionally been exempt from conscription, has been a spoke in the wheels of the process of putting together the next governing coalition. The main sticking point has been that the haredi factions oppose a law that would impose conscription that was authorized by the defense establishment under former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who says he will not agree to the legislation being altered in the slightest to accommodate the haredi demands.
In response, the haredi factions are working on a solution that would not entail any change to the proposed draft bill, which would mean Lieberman could support it. However, the haredim would seek to add a declaration that is important to their rabbis, which would state that any yeshiva student who wanted to continue studying Torah would be able to do so.
The haredim said the defense establishment could add the rabbinical declaration.
In addition, the haredim want to pass a basic law that would enshrine in law the importance of Torah study, hoping that a basic law would prevent the High Court from rejecting laws exempting yeshiva students from military service on the grounds that the exemption violates the principle of equality.
"The haredi string-pullers are once again trying tricky maneuvers with the IDF's [haredi] draft bill," Lapid wrote on Twitter.
"The draft bill should be passed exactly as it is written. Without additions, without money on the side, without codicils, without a 'Basic Law: The Importance of Torah Study,' whose only purpose is to allow people to evade IDF service," Lapid wrote.
Lapid tagged Lieberman and said, "You gave your word."
One haredi official involved in the negotiations had harsh words for Lieberman in a conversation with Israel Hayom.
"We, along with the [national] religious, represent 20 seats, whereas Lieberman is only worth five," the official said.
"Nevertheless, we are the ones who are willing to take steps to accommodate him. With 20 seats, we could easily demand that a law different from the one the defense establishment wrote be passed, something that we would agree with – and still, we're saying that we're willing to compromise on the Defense Ministry bill, even without changes to it, other than one declarative clause that will ensure that those who study Torah will be able to continue to study Torah," the official continued.
"The Defense Ministry's draft bill is inconvenient for the haredi world, and yet we're the ones who are compromising. Avigdor Lieberman doesn't even need to dial back his demand that the bill pass as-is," the official said.
Meanwhile, the National Union responded on Tuesday to a report in Israel Hayom that if Smotrich is not given the justice portfolio, he will ask for the public security portfolio and seek the authority to appoint a new police commissioner.
Smotrich stressed on Tuesday that if he did not receive the justice portfolio, he would seek the education portfolio. According to his agreement with Habayit Hayehudi chairman Rafi Peretz, whose party ran with the National Union on a joint ticket, Smotrich has the first pick of portfolios. However, despite his denials, party sources said it was possible that Smotrich would agree to serve as public security minister.
