Israel’s coalition is facing renewed political turmoil as senior chareidi leaders are warning that any attempt to water down the proposed Basic Law recognizing the value of Torah study could shatter the coalition’s united right-wing bloc. The warning comes amid reports that some coalition members are pushing to reduce the legislation to a purely declarative measure, a move the chareidi parties say would violate agreements reached with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

A senior chareidi official issued a blunt warning Tuesday evening, saying that if the understandings reached with Netanyahu are not fully honored, the political partnership cannot continue.

“What was agreed upon with Prime Minister Netanyahu will be carried out. If not, there is no bloc,” the official said.

The unusually sharp statement follows growing opposition within the coalition to advancing the Basic Law in its originally agreed-upon form. Chareidi leaders view efforts to make the legislation merely symbolic as a direct breach of the commitments made by the prime minister.

Two weeks ago, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri and United Torah Judaism chairman Moshe Gafni met with Netanyahu in his office to resolve tensions that had threatened the government’s stability. According to reports, the meeting produced an agreement intended to preserve the coalition and prevent the Knesset from dissolving. As part of those understandings, the sides agreed that the Basic Law on Torah study would advance in its full form rather than as a watered-down declaration.

Ames previously reported that the meeting concluded on a positive note, with Netanyahu, Deri, and Gafni reaching broad understandings on the future of the legislation. Those agreements reportedly included a commitment to promote the Basic Law as one of the foundational understandings between Likud and the chareidi parties.

Now, however, reports that coalition figures are attempting to soften the legislation have reignited tensions. Chareidi parties say such a move would violate the agreement and are warning of serious political consequences.

A political source familiar with the negotiations told Ames on Tuesday evening that the issue is non-negotiable for the chareidi parties.

“The chareidim will not give in on this. This is a matter of principle for them. They remained in the coalition based on these agreements,” the source said.

The dispute comes at a particularly delicate moment for the coalition, where even a single political crisis could have major consequences for upcoming Knesset votes.

For its part, the Prime Minister’s Office offered a very different assessment, telling Ames: “If the wording does not become declarative only—the law will not pass.”

That position would effectively mean the legislation could fail to secure enough support for passage, resulting in an embarrassing defeat for the coalition in the Knesset and potentially marking a bitter conclusion to what has already been a turbulent and politically challenging term.

Officials in both United Torah Judaism and Shas reiterated that they expect the government to uphold every aspect of the agreement reached with Netanyahu.

“We expect what was agreed upon to be honored,” party officials said.

{Matzav.com}