The rally

The "Torah Cry" rally comes amid the efforts by MK Boaz Bismuth, from Likud, to introduce new legislation that would end the blanket exemption Haredim have on joining the IDF as part of the mandatory service that applies to virtually all Jews and Druze in Israel. The protest, nicknamed the "Million Man Rally" because organizers planned to gather roughly one million people at the event, was scheduled to start Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Jerusalem's entrance and continue approximately two hours, according to event organizers.

Organizers urged the public intending to reach the capital to do so during early morning hours. Large national transportation groups reported strong response to arrive at these times.

The rally, whose concept had been abandoned multiple times because of disagreements about its character, was expected to draw participation from Litvaks, Hasidim and Sephardim, unlike most highway demonstrations which primarily include members of the extremist Jerusalem Peleg faction.

Traffic arrangements

Route 1 will close to traffic beginning at 12:00 p.m. until the rally concludes – in both directions – from the Latrun region until Jerusalem's entrance. Police stressed that city entry will be permitted only for pre-organized buses. Route 443 will stay open to traffic.

Area community residents, such as Shoresh, Mevasseret Zion, Beit Meir, Neve Ilan, etc., along with those employed in these communities, will be permitted to pass.

These streets will close to traffic within Jerusalem:

Givat Shaul Street will close to vehicle traffic in both directions. Jaffa Street will close from HaTurim Street to Jeremiah Street in both directions. Givat Shaul-Ramot interchange will close in all directions. Ben Zvi/Rabbi Shmuel Baruch Street will close toward the city entrance. Shazar Boulevard will close toward the Givat Shaul interchange. Herzl Boulevard will close from Rabin Junction toward the String Bridge. Malchei Yisrael-Sarei Yisrael junction will close toward Nordau Circle and Jeremiah Street.

Additionally, access roads and further closures on surrounding streets leading to gathering locations, the city entrance zone and central Jerusalem are expected to close for varying time periods as needed.

Yitzhak Navon Railway Station at Jerusalem's entrance will close from 2:00 p.m. until operations resume after the rally ends. Israel Railways stated that "all train lines and stations except Yitzhak Navon will function as usual."

Initially, the railway station was supposed to shut at 12:30 p.m., but after pressure applied on police and the Ministry of National Security, the closing time was pushed to 1:30 p.m. Ultimately, officials announced the final train to Jerusalem would arrive Thursday at 2:00 p.m. at Navon Station.

Earlier, Shas chairman Aryeh Machluf Deri contacted railway management to get answers about the decision to shut Yitzhak Navon Station. "Such a decision will cause tens of thousands to get stranded throughout the country and block intersections. This is an illegitimate decision that will block a huge public from arriving and praying. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir pledged to work to find a solution immediately."

Sources in the rally leadership who spoke with Israel Hayom voiced frustration regarding the railway matter – which seems not to be reaching resolution. "We expect the arbitrary decision to shut the railway station in Jerusalem to be reversed," they said. "This is a decision that will trigger complete chaos. If the crowds who planned to arrive in Jerusalem stay in the cities, they will simply head out for spontaneous protests on the main routes throughout the country. We hope the railway crisis will be resolved – and if not, we'll examine splitting the protest."

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Regarding Shas's departure from the government coalition, he said he lost patience long ago with these games. He said government could complete serve out its term but there is no such thing as being in the coalition while not being in it, and the coalition failing to pass laws, there is a country that requires governance. There is no such thing as continuing to control ministries remotely through associates while actually being outside, he noted.

Video: Smotrich speaks about Saudi normalization / Credit: GoLive

He said that he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, "Either succeed in resolving the conscription issue with a genuine law and change the abnormal reality that Haredim do not participate in army service, or go to elections. This story must end quickly.​"

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Regarding the first challenge, Netanyahu is eager to pass the conscription law. The Shas party would also greatly welcome the bill's passage. The faction emphasizes that it has never withdrawn from the coalition and that it supports Netanyahu's Government – yet, it currently seems difficult to formulate a version that will satisfy the needs of both the IDF and the ultra-Orthodox, and one that can also withstand judicial scrutiny by the Supreme Court.

On Friday, in a rarity for the Sukkot holiday, a meeting took place in the Knesset involving Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Boaz Bismuth, the committee's legal counsel, and Shas representatives – former Minister Ariel Attias and MK Yinon Azoulay. A source present at the meeting informed Israel Hayom: "I am not a bearer of good tidings." The other participants in the meeting responded similarly. As for  Netanyahu, those in his inner circle say he wishes to pass the bill as quickly as possible, both to remove this major issue from Israeli society and because it is obvious that without this law, the government has no real chance of survival.

With regards to the state budget, the Knesset will be dissolved if the government fails to finalize a law that passes the Knesset by March. Netanyahu, according to those around him, is determined to pass a budget and has the capability to do so, but it appears that there are currently too many opposing elements that need to be satisfied. The ultra-Orthodox will undoubtedly want a budget that meets their needs, and the defense budget will also require exceptional focus, especially following a war.

Nevertheless, the prime minister's associates have been communicating very clear signals that Netanyahu will not head to elections before he completes his objectives, which are as follows: the return of the hostages; guaranteeing that Hamas does not return to rule; and placing Gaza on a path to demilitarization. His orbit has also been mentioning cementing the achievements against Lebanon, Syria, and Iran – and even the signing of several peace agreements.

And then there is the Netanyahu trial, where he is at the start of the cross-examination in Case 1000, the gifts case. As a reminder, Netanyahu had sought to postpone the testimony scheduled on Wednesday. Israel Hayom's legal correspondent, Elinor Shirkani Kofman, reported that the prosecution consented to the delay on the condition that Netanyahu would testify on Thursday. Ultimately, the testimony proceeded on Wednesday as scheduled. The trial and Netanyahu's testimony will also affect the political process – as the trial progresses or faces delays, the prime minister will possess more leverage.

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While ultra-Orthodox Knesset members signaled Wednesday they would accept no further delays in resolving the crisis over the Haredi conscription, Likud members remain confident that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees something else unfolding.

The speculation includes scenarios ranging from a partial hostage deal to a significant security event. Each of these scenarios could indeed ground to a halt any effort to dissolve the Knesset and hold a general election.

United Torah Judaism and Shas said Wednesday that a move to dissolve the Knesset could happen by agreement within hours, with party leaders declaring their intentions. United Torah Judaism pulling out of the Coalition will also lead Aryeh Deri following through with a similar decision on behalf of the Council of Torah Sages. If Netanyahu indeed fails to delay such a declaration from the parties in the coming hours, the date for Knesset dissolution approaches but not within days.

Only next week will a bill to dissolve the Knesset come up for preliminary reading, after the Opposition missed the opportunity to do so Wednesday. Senior United Torah Judaism officials said that if such a bill had been on the Knesset's docket Wednesday, there would have been no choice but to support it.

The continuation of legislation depends on House Committee Chairman Ofir Katz, who can delay the committee's continued writing of the bill. The Likud must lead to a delay of almost two months to survive the summer session. Meanwhile, Netanyahu will need a preliminary move to secure the ultra-Orthodox silence regarding the delay in dissolution, which could be sacrificing Yuli Edelstein's position as Foreign and Defense Committee chairman.

The end of the summer session is only July 27, meaning almost 50 days of survival in an active session – not an easy operational event for Likud.

Ultra-Orthodox leaders say that in a meeting Tuesday, Edelstein presented Moshe Gafni and Deri with a plan to impose sanctions on the entire ultra-Orthodox public that are far-reaching, and therefore Edelstein is already seen as standing in their way to a softened bill. However, in practice, Netanyahu still has to contend with many opponents to the bill within Likud and Religious Zionism, and these could increase the flames if Edelstein is replaced as chairman.

On Wednesday afternoon, Netanyahu's staff managed the crisis while he attended his trial in the Tel Aviv District Court. Ultra-Orthodox leaders, frustrated after Netanyahu requested they wait until 16:00 on Wednesday for his testimony to conclude, stated he had sufficient time to address the issue. The ultra-Orthodox public's growing restlessness is driving their leaders' urgency, leaving Likud to question whether Netanyahu has a final trump card to play or if the Coalition's dissolution began taking root during his court appearance.

The ultra-Orthodox public's impatience leads to their leaders' impatience, and now Likud wonders whether Netanyahu indeed has another ace up his sleeve or whether the buds of coalition dissolution have already been planted and sprouted while he was in cross-examination.

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The rivalry between the political parties ahead of the March 23 election makes the future of Israeli politics somewhat volatile but Shas leader Aryeh Deri, a seasoned politician of 30 years, seems to know what the day after the election has in store for Israel. 

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In an interview with Israel Hayom, he predicted that Yamina leader Naftali Bennett and New Hope chief Gideon Sa'ar will have no choice but re-join the right-wing bloc. 

"There are no ideological differences between us," he said. "It is unthinkable for two political parties that belong with the right-wing block to torpedo a right-wing government. I don't believe that would happen."

Speaking of the possibility of Sa'ar, Bennett, and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid forming a government, Deri said he believed it to be highly unlikely. 

"There is no way in the world that Lapid will give Sa'ar or Bennett the premiership, not even for a month," for Yesh Atid will be the biggest party of the three and will receive more seats than New Hope and Yamina combined, he explained. 

"Chances are that Shas will receive more seats than Bennett or Sa'ar," he added.  

Deri refuted Sa'ar's claims that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being "blackmailed" by the ultra-Orthodox parties. 

Sa'ar's campaign promise was to build a government, but instead of the 20 seats he was hoping to get, election polls predict a much lower number each week. 

"His advisers must have told him to target the ultra-Orthodox [parties,] which might stop the decline." 

Addressing his falling out with Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman, an avid opponent of Haredim, Deri said "there was no forgiveness" and called his former friendship with Lieberman the biggest mistake of his life. 

As for the mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic, Deri blamed Blue and White and their chief Benny Gantz for they acted out of political considerations alone.

"It was impossible to make decisions on any subject when they [Blue and White] knew that they were approaching the election and their chances of crossing the [four-seat] electoral threshold were dwindling. It is much harder to make decisions [in such a situation.] 

"We saw this with every decision. We wanted to help businesses in Arnona [in Jerusalem,] which the Attorney General approved, but Blue and White vetoed because it would have helped Netanyahu."

According to Deri, mistakes were made in connection with education and the Ben Gurion Airport as well, for, in the past six months, decision-making has been "burdensome, slow and late."

The importance of education was not considered as high as it should have been, he explained. 

"Some say today that Haredim were right to have opened [their schools.] Now we understand the psychological impacts [of lockdowns] and how it affects students. I shouted to the government from day one that education should come first, that in case there is no choice, and the situation is catastrophic, and everything has to be closed down, then it should be. But if we open something, the first thing that should be opened is the schools."

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The "Norwegian law," based on the government model of the Scandinavian country with the same name, allows MKs named for ministerial positions to resign from Knesset and enable the next candidate on their party's list to be named an MK. The law further states that ministers or deputy ministers who resign their positions may be reinstated as MKs.

Evening news broadcasts on Tuesday showed a video of Gazahi speaking to a room of young men and offering some untraditional – and disturbing – interpretations of religious texts.

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"Kabbalist books say that a woman who exposes her upper body is generally reincarnated as a cow, because her 'udders' were exposed. So a woman has to be modest," he said.

Gazahi also said that "one of the reasons why women suffer from breast cancer is that everyone's eyes go there – so she gets the Evil Eye. That's one of the reasons why pregnant women, heaven forbid it should happen to any of us, miscarry. Why? She gets pregnant and posts a picture of her belly. Is that normal?"

Gazahi also made blatantly racist comments about Arabs, asking the audience, "Have you ever seen a good-looking Arab? There's no such thing."

"Rabbi Gazahi informed Shas leader Arye Deri this evening that he has decided to resign and not serve as an MK," the Shas party announced.

Gazahi, 39, was born in Ethiopia and made aliyah at the age of two. He embraced religion as a student, and his family followed in his footsteps and began observing a religious lifestyle. In 2008 he established the "spiritual center" Od Yosef Chai in Beersheba. 

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Early last week the party released video clips disparaging the ultra-Orthodox population, hoping to divert some of the country's attention back to matters of religion and state. Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman's conduct, meanwhile, has caused some divisions among haredi parties in recent days. The Shas party said it doesn't need to respond or address Lieberman at all, while United Torah Judaism made the strategic decision to answer back and attack him after every video or public statement about haredim.

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"Yes, Lieberman says terrible things about the haredi public," a Shas official said. "The worst is that he lies all the time, starting with the video clips with fake statistics about kosher supervisors, and in general, this is the man who helped the haredim the most all these years on any issue; it's just that the moment he was up against the electoral threshold he chose to attack them to bolster himself."

According to the official, "Lieberman is lost in this election campaign. It is about diplomatic issues and 'yes-Bibi, no-Bibi.' Lieberman is rudderless and could fade away, so he's pumping up the haredi topic. UTJ is playing into his hands. They're making a grave mistake. Any reaction on their part only fuels Lieberman's campaign and keeps the issue on the national agenda. If we completely ignore him he will fade away and become irrelevant and pathetic."

Earlier in the week, Shar Chairman Aryeh Deri launched his party's election campaign by lambasting Lieberman over his intention to join the left-wing bloc, but party officials said the move "wasn't about attacking Lieberman but about strengthening the right-wing bloc, while delivering a message to right-wing voters who want to vote for Lieberman."

Officials in United Torah Judaism say publicly that they decided to respond to Lieberman so as not to let his slanders go unanswered, but behind the scenes, party officials are using Yisrael Beytenu's attacks for their own benefit.

UTJ's election campaign makes note of the threats to the haredi public issued by Lieberman and Blue and White co-leader Yair Lapid, in order to impassion their constituency and hit their goal of receiving all the haredi votes.

In response to Shas, UTJ officials said, "We already tried the silent route in the previous campaign. It didn't hurt Lieberman. He still got eight mandates."

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For their part, Likud party members appeared confident on Thursday, in particular in light of the fact that all of their natural partners had rejected Gantz's invitation to meet for negotiations. One Likud party member even went so far as to tell Israel Hayom that "the prime minister looks good, sharp, encouraged, and mainly sure of himself.

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"No scenario exists that would see someone defect from the right-wing political bloc. In this current situation, Gantz will most certainly be unable to form a government. We hope he moves toward a unity government and doesn't drag the country to a third round of elections," he said.

Interior Minister and Shas party chief Aryeh Deri spoke in a similar vein in an interview with Israel Radio, Thursday.

"Gantz called me. I congratulated him on receiving a great national task, and I told him that if he genuinely wants a unity government, there is one framework: the president's framework."

Deri asked, "After all, what is the point of these meetings? To try and dissolve the bloc – and this bloc will not disintegrate. Why wait around for another 28 days to be lost? I want a broad national unity government. The only way is for Gantz to understand he must not heed bad advice."

Upon Gantz's receiving the mandate to form the government, the party issued a plethora of statements to the media, according to which Gantz was holding one-on-one talks with party heads with the aim of promoting a unity government.

Nevertheless, just one meeting with party heads was officially scheduled on Thursday: a Monday meeting between Gantz and Labor-Gesher party heads Amir Peretz and Orly Levy-Abekasis.

In addition, Gantz is also expected to hold a meeting with US Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt at the US Embassy in Jerusalem later that day.

Next Saturday, Gantz will take part in a memorial rally marking 24 years to the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin at Tel Aviv's Rabin Square, where he is set to be the keynote speaker.

According to a Channel 12 News report on Thursday, Blue and White has in recent days been drawing up plans for a compromise proposal for that would see Gantz's party offer Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the opportunity to serve as Israel's leader in a rotation agreement, with the Likud leader set to serve in the role of premier first, followed by Gantz, or alternatively, have the Likud join the unity government along with the rest of the right-wing bloc.

Blue and White officials, however, dismissed the report. Party members told Israel Hayom they would not be making any information pertaining to possible offers public, in particular ahead of coalition talks.

As for Blue and White's hopes of excluding the Balad party from its coalition talks with the Joint Arab List, one faction official said, "The story is quite simple: The list will conduct the talks as a joint list, just as Blue and White [comprised of the Israel Resilience party, Yesh Atid, and Telem] will conduct the talks as Blue and White."

Joint Arab List Chairman Ayman Odeh said, "The Netanyahu era began after an obstructive bloc government, and the Netanyahu era can come to an end with an obstructive bloc government. We demand to see an alternative of peace and equality."

According to Odeh's fellow party member Yousef Jabareen, "Gantz started off his contacts with the Joint Arab List on the wrong foot. His decision to call the heads of three of the parties that comprise the list and not the fourth is a miserable attempt to divide the components of the list and harm its unity."

Meanwhile, Blue and White MK Avi Nissenkorn has been appointed chairman of the Knesset Arrangements Committee, a role which up until Thursday was held by Likud MK Miki Zohar. With Rivlin having tasked Gantz with forming the government, the law holds that a representative of the Blue and White leader's party must head the committee.

As head of the Knesset Arrangements Committee, Nissenkorn will work in coordination with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein to determine the subjects to be discussed in the Knesset until the establishment of permanent committees, foremost among them the House Committee.

With the Knesset set to commence its day-to-day activities on Monday, Nissenkorn will play an important role in determining the dates when it will convene and the issues it is set to discuss.

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Shas party chairman Aryeh Deri on Friday called on members of Blue and White not to wait until the last minute to join a unity government and risk dragging the entire country into what he said would be an "election disaster."

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Speaking to Israel Hayom on Friday, Deri said, "I call on the heads of Blue and White – you were chiefs of staff, and you dedicated the majority of your lives to the security of the state – you know as well as I do that to ensure the security of the state and the security of the people of Israel, we need a strong government. I call on you, in the name of accountability to the people of Israel, to eliminate any political or other considerations."

According to Deri, "There is only one framework on the table, the president's framework. There is no other alternative other than an 'election disaster.' Let's get this over with immediately. It would be a shame to drag it on another month, or another few weeks."

The time President Reuven Rivlin allotted to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with forming the new government is expected to run out on Oct. 23, following the Simchat Torah holiday.

A senior official from the President's Residence in Jerusalem told Israel Hayom that "the assumption is that the mandate will be given to [Blue and White leader] Benny Gantz, and Netanyahu will not be given an extension unless another lawmaker is named by party leaders during the round of telephone consultation President Rivlin will hold."

Upon completing consultations with party heads as to who should be tasked with forming a government late last month,  Rivlin invited Netanyahu and Gantz to meet at his office. His goal: Advancing efforts toward the formation of a unity government between Blue and White and Likud. But when Blue and White opted not to take Rivlin up on his offer, the president made the decision to task Netanyahu with forming the government, giving him 28 days to this end.

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In Tel Aviv the center-left alliance Blue and White ran away with the vote – a plurality for 37% of the validly cast ballots – suggesting that the city would have preferred party chairman Benny Gantz as prime minister. Likud came in a distant second, grabbing only 22% of the Tel Avivian vote.

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This is hardly surprising, considering that the city is considered a bastion of the Left that has traditionally voted against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies.

The Democratic Union, a candidate list comprising former Labor officials and the left-wing Meretz, got 12% of the vote, while Labor came in fourth, with 6%.

With Tel Aviv having one of the smallest ultra-Orthodox populations in Israel, United Torah Judaism got only 1%.

In Jerusalem, which has a massive ultra-Orthodox community and is also a Likud stronghold, United Torah Judaism came in first with 23%, tying with the governing party Likud.

Shas, which caters mainly to traditional Sephardi Jews, got 16% of the vote in the capital. Blue and White, which came in first on the national level, came in fourth in Jerusalem, with only 11% of the vote being cast on the center-left list.

Yamina, a newly formed national-religious list catering to both Orthodox and secular Jews and has a strong base in Judea and Samaria, got 9% of the vote.

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