With the need to pass a new draft bill a pressing reality, the machlokes between the litvish Degel Hatorah and chassidish Agudas Yisrael factions of Yahadut Hatorah continues, perhaps gaining in its ferocity.

MK (Agudas Yisrael) Yisrael Eichler has put forward a plan, which he hopes can bring the sides back together. It would require the efforts of the secretaries of the respective Moetzas of Degel and Agudah, working with a third person to be selected by the Moetzas Chachmei HaTorah of Shas.

According to a BeChadrei Chareidim report, it has already been decided that a representative of Degel will speak with secretary Avraham Rubinstein and chairman of the Agudah faction in Knesset, MK Menachem Eliezer Moses, will speak with secretary Yaakov Waltzer, and simultaneously, there will be coordination with Shas.

The heart of the machlokes surrounding the draft law is that both Shas and Degel Hatorah wish to pass a draft law before the expiration date set by the High Court of Justice, which last week granted a 45-day extension to the expiration date, while Agudas Yisrael wishes to wait until there is a coalition with a large majority, which means after Knesset elections.

YWN-Israel reported that rabbonim and MKs of Degel Hatorah met on motzei Shabbos with HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky and HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein, seeking urgent direction. The following day, on Sunday, 1 Teves, Gafne informed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that if a draft law is not legislated, Degel will not remain in the coalition. This would compel early elections as the coalition currently has a one-seat majority.

Alternatively, Agudas Yisrael does not appear to have changed its position since the Moetzas Gedolei Torah met several months ago, deciding that if the current version of the draft law is advanced, it will pull from the coalition, having the same result, early elections.

Shas sides with Degel Hatorah, explaining there is wiggle room to make some changes in the current bill, citing passing the current bill is better than taking a chance on the High Court deciding the fate of the bnei Torah. In addition, Shas and Degel Hatorah both feel in all likelihood, the next coalition government will be less chareidi-friendly so the time to pass a favorable draft bill is now.

Their biggest fear is that if the Knesset is dissolved and early elections declared, the High Court may decide to unilaterally adjudicate the matter and the outcome will most likely not be a favorable one for the tens of thousands of lomdei Torah.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)