The haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Shas Party released its first election campaign video on Saturday evening, appearing to support IDF conscription amid controversy over the party's stance, prompting the Yashar Party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, to demand its removal on Sunday, alleging that it violates election propaganda legislation.
Eisenkot is a leading candidate in the opposition bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming elections.
Shas has been a key coalition partner in Netanyahu’s coalition. Throughout the government’s term, haredi party leaders have pushed for legislation that critics argue would not increase haredi conscription amid the IDF's severe manpower crisis.
The Shas campaign video features a family gathered for Shabbat dinner as their son returns home from his army base and embraces his family.
Upon releasing the video, Shas stated that the video was of an Israeli family in which one son studies at a yeshiva while his brother serves in the IDF, with "each contributing to the people of Israel in his own way."
“This is the story of the Shas family: faith, tradition, unity, and love of Israel – Torah scholars and IDF soldiers, we are all one family," the party added.
The video ends by stating that "more than 30,000 soldiers and career-service personnel voted for the Shas Party in the last election."
Yashar demands video be removed for violating Elections Law
The Yashar Party demanded that the video be removed by 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, stating that the video was campaign propaganda and that its publication violated the Elections Law by "creating the impression that the IDF identifies with the Shas Party."
In a warning letter sent to Shas Party leader MK Aryeh Deri through Yashar’s attorney, the party said the demand was a preliminary measure before taking further action.
Yashar’s letter disputed Shas’s claims, pointing out that the video “explicitly claims that ‘more than 30,000 soldiers and career-service personnel voted for the Shas Party in the last election, according to official data,' and that “the use of IDF soldiers in election propaganda is particularly outrageous given Shas’s policies throughout the three years of war.”
"The party [Shas] has worked to promote a draft-evasion law and to give absolute preference to those who chose not to serve, while those who do serve bear the burden of the war. It also notes that party chairman Aryeh Deri has previously said that he is proud of family members who do not serve," Yashar stated.
“You cannot promote draft evasion at the expense of those who serve, take pride in those who do not serve, and then use IDF soldiers as a backdrop for election propaganda," Yashar added.
Shas responded to Yashar by further backing its campaign video, stating the video was aimed at "refuting the false propaganda, including from Eisenkot and his party, claiming that Shas supports draft evasion.”
Shas criticized over stance on haredi IDF draft
Shas has received increasing criticism over its stance regarding ultra-Orthodox enlistment amid the IDF’s severe manpower shortage ahead of the October 27 elections. Haredi party leaders have sought to advance legislation that opponents argue would not increase haredi enlistment.
The haredi parties also boycotted votes on coalition legislation when their contentious legislation was not advancing quickly enough.
Two contentious pieces of legislation that were sponsored by the haredi parties and passed their final readings in the Knesset last month were the bill to enshrine Torah study as a fundamental value in the country’s Basic Law, along with a bill to temporarily freeze the arrests of haredi draft evaders.
The bills passed amid legal warnings and outrage from bereaved family members and reservists.