Leaders in Degel HaTorah are refusing to respond publicly to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s latest criticism of the proposed arrest freeze law, arguing that engaging in the dispute would only amplify what they view as a political miscalculation by Likud.

During a meeting of the Degel HaTorah faction on Sunday evening, MKs reportedly agreed that the messaging coming from Netanyahu’s inner circle was an election-season mistake that has only revived public debate over the draft issue and the Chareidi community—ultimately hurting Netanyahu and Likud rather than benefiting them.

“This is what they cooked up for themselves,” members of the faction said, explaining that responding to the briefing would only give it additional publicity.

Unlike Degel HaTorah, United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchok Goldknopf chose to respond directly to the reports, criticizing the prime minister over the apparent shift in position.

According to Goldknopf, “The report by Amit Segal, according to which the prime minister admitted that the arrest law ‘did not succeed,’ only confirms what was clear to us from the very beginning. The prime minister never intended to regulate the status of yeshiva students and never planned to bring a draft law, and therefore we left the government.”

The criticism was not limited to Chareidi political circles. Commentators on Channel 14’s program The Patriots also questioned the wisdom of Netanyahu’s camp publicly distancing itself from the arrest freeze proposal.

Yinon Magal said, “I think this statement from Netanyahu’s circle was unnecessary. It’s a mistake. Why are you reigniting the whole issue?”

Yotam Zimri added, “I believe in the arrest freeze law because I think Torah learners should not be arrested. Why are you now coming out with a statement saying it was an attempt that failed?”

Channel 14 political editor Moti Kastel also criticized the move, saying, “Another resounding public relations failure by the prime minister’s advisers.”

Kastel pointed out that Netanyahu had defended the arrest freeze legislation as recently as July, saying at the time that “this law causes no harm.” He questioned why the prime minister’s team is now backing away from that position and placing the issue back at the center of the national conversation. In Kastel’s words, “This is already becoming a recurring pattern. Knee-jerk decisions followed by U-turns after the fact. It seems someone is determined to sabotage Netanyahu’s campaign. The operation is not being managed, and it shows.”

As previously reported, Netanyahu’s associates argued in a recent briefing that the arrest freeze bill was intended to reduce tensions surrounding the draft issue and encourage greater enlistment from the Chareidi community. They maintained, however, that because “the move did not succeed,” such legislation would not be pursued by the next government.

Speaking during a closed-door meeting, Netanyahu reportedly said that after the next election he intends to form a broad national government that will pass “a full draft law that will meet the IDF’s needs,” adding, “Anyone who is not learning Torah will either enlist or go to prison.”