Veteran political analyst Yaakov Rivlin believes that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s push to advance legislation benefiting the chareidi community is aimed not only at the upcoming election, but also at ensuring the chareidi parties remain firmly aligned with the right-wing bloc in the political battles that follow.

Speaking Wednesday on Kol Chai Radio’s “Central Edition” with Avi Blum, Rivlin discussed the coalition’s efforts to pass the proposed Basic Law protecting Torah study and legislation preventing the arrest of yeshiva bochurim. Despite ongoing security tensions, he said he sees little chance that the legislative process will be halted.

“On Wednesday the Knesset session ends, and whatever isn’t achieved now will never be achieved,” Rivlin said. He noted that the bills are already moving through committee discussions and added that “it would take something very extraordinary for the legislative process not to continue.”

Addressing claims that the proposed Basic Law is merely symbolic, Rivlin argued that the fierce opposition from legal and economic officials suggests otherwise.

“I also thought it was merely declarative and worth nothing, but every day I open TheMarker I discover that it will grant the chareidim new benefits,” he said. He added that officials in the Budget Department also contend the legislation would cost the state significant sums of money, concluding, “so apparently it has meaning.”

Turning to the proposed legislation freezing the arrests of yeshiva bochurim, Rivlin said he is not convinced Israel’s Supreme Court would rush to issue an injunction because the measure is designed as a temporary five-month order.

According to Rivlin, even within the military there is growing recognition that the arrests have failed to achieve their intended purpose.

“The army itself unofficially admits that arrests are a headache,” he said.

Rivlin argued that Netanyahu’s strategy extends well beyond the next election campaign.

“Netanyahu is investing in the chareidim not for this election, but for what comes after the election,” he said. “He believes he won’t reach 61 seats, but the center-left also won’t reach 61 without the Arab parties. He wants the chareidim to remain with him even if he doesn’t have a majority.”

According to Rivlin, Netanyahu’s broader objective is to cement the loyalty of the chareidi parties within the right-wing bloc.

“He wants to lock Gafni and Deri into the right-wing bloc,” Rivlin said, explaining that Netanyahu wants to prevent them from later telling their voters they will join whichever coalition offers them the best deal. “He says to them: I gave you what you wanted—the Basic Law: Torah Study.”

Rivlin also addressed the growing economic sanctions affecting the chareidi community, including restrictions on eligibility for discounted housing programs, but cautioned that even more severe measures could be forthcoming.

“There are harsher decrees on the way,” he said. “Anyone who thinks that economic measures will bring down the Torah world does not know the Torah world.”

{Matzav.com}