After a day of pressure in the political system in general and in the chareidi parties in particular, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office sought to reassure Deputy Minister Yaakov Litzman and informed him that there was not a two-week deadline. He was referring to his threat on Sunday, explaining to Litzman there is a two-week deadline on passing the new IDF draft law, and if this does not succeed, he will call for early elections.

According to a report in Yisrael Hayom, a conversation was held between Netanyahu’s office and Litzman’s office during which messages of calm were conveyed and the parties assessed the crisis as solvable. The Prime Minister’s Bureau made it clear to Litzman’s people that they had not intended a two-week deadline, but they meant the matter must be resolved in coming weeks, but not to drag it out too long.

The coalition is now waiting for the convening of the Agudas Yisrael Moetzas Gedolei Torah, at which time the Admorim Shlita are expected to decide if they are going to remain firm in their opposition to the draft law and opt for early elections or join Degel Hatorah and Shas in accepting the law and finding a workable solution.

Deputy Minister Litzman responded this week to Netanyahu’s remarks and said: “The approval of the revised draft law is one of the main things that served as the basis for the coalition and the current government … We have no interest in the elections, but we cannot compromise on the fundamental issue of preserving the status of yeshiva students. The Moetzas Gedolei Torah will decide on the matter and as we will be instructed on how to act.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)