As efforts continue to legislate a new IDF draft law, Deputy Minister (Yahadut Hatorah) Meir Porush met on Tuesday night with the Belzer Rebbe Shlita. The meeting took place in Telz Stone, where the rebbe is staying to take a hiatus from his usually busy schedule.

Porush briefed the rebbe on the current situation vis-à-vis the draft bill, and they discussed the instructions of the Moetzas Gedolei Hatorah of Agudas Yisrael, of which the rebbe is a member. The council instructed the Agudas Yisrael faction of Yahadut Hatorah to leave the coalition if the bill advances in its current form. The council wants Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to seek an extension from the High Court of Justice and not to push through the bill during the current summer session of Knesset.

As things appear now, a delay will not be achieved as desired, and the chassidish faction of Yahadut Hatorah will leave the coalition. This includes Porush along with MKs Yisrael Eichler, Menachem Eliezer Moses, and Deputy Minister Yaakov Litzman.

Litzman has already told PM Netanyahu that he will resign if the bill is not delayed. He made the ultimatum on Tuesday, setting a one-week deadline before breaking from the coalition.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)