Shas

Marathon Knesset meetings set to rapidly advance haredi parties’ contentious Torah study bill

The bill seeks to enshrine Torah study in the country’s Basic Law as part of a proposal that critics argue encourages draft evasion and changes the status of yeshiva students who do not serve.

MKS ATTEND a House committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem, on June 16, 2026.
Shas chairman MK Arye Deri attends the State Comptroller elections at the plenum of the Knesset, in Jerusalem, June 3, 2026.

Haredi leaders say they will support Knesset dissolution if no progress made on draft bills

Degel Hatorah leader MK Moshe Gafni in Knesset House Committee meeting, Monday June 22, 2026.

Haredi parties continue to boycott coalition voting over Torah Study bill

Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, during a weekly teaching at the Yazdim synagogue in Jerusalem, on June 7, 2025.

Shas spiritual leader: Iran deal is punishment for draft dodger arrests, A-G is 'wicked woman'


Road to elections? Shas, Degel Hatorah will vote to dissolve Knesset, parties say

"The ultra-Orthodox public feels persecuted by the Likud and [MK Yuli] Edelstein," the Shas spokesperson said.

Shas faction leader MK Arye Deri seen outside the party offices in Jerusalem, June 4, 2025

Leading rabbi to instruct ultra-Orthodox faction to exit Netanyahu's coalition

Haredi leader hints at coalition exit over IDF draft bill delays, potentially collapsing the government.

 Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, pictured in 2014.

Shas ministers will support any deal that will bring home hostages, Ben-Tzur says

The remarks were noteworthy, as they contradicted those of other ministers and of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said that the ultimate goal of the war was victory over Hamas.

 Minister of Labour Yoav Ben Tzur at a presentation of the Poverty report for 2024, provided by National Insurance Institute, in Jerusalem, December 18, 2024.

Shas MK tiebreaking vote to extend reservist emergency call-ups

Shas MK Yinon Azulay cast the deciding vote to extend emergency IDF draft powers, sparking backlash over unclear war plans and coalition infighting.

 IDF soldiers operate in Deir el-Balah, Gaza Strip, May 8, 2025.

Haredi parties' Knesset boycott to continue for third straight week

This could change pending an assessment by haredi MKs later this week, according to one of the spokespersons.

 Haredi men are seen protesting the effort to draft ultra-Orthodox Israelis into the IDF.

How real is the haredi threat to topple the government? - analysis

Despite the growing calls, even within the coalition, for eligible haredi men to join the IDF, the reality on the ground has not changed very much.

 Anti-draft protests erupt in Jerusalem, May, 2025.

Confronting unprecedented change in the Haredi world - opinion

The question isn’t whether change will come – it’s already happening at the margins – but rather how deep it will penetrate into the core of haredi society.

 Illustrative: Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Israeli Jews are seen engaging in Torah study.

Shas MKs partially retract calls in Knesset to launch state probe into October 7

Earlier on Wednesday, the two MKs called for a state probe during a Finance Committee meeting in the Knesset.

 Shas MK Yinon Azoulay seen in the Knesset plenum, in Jerusalem, July 22, 2024

Rabbi Kalman Bar appointed new Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi

The elections for Chief Rabbi are conducted by a 150-member statutory electoral body. The final tally was 77-58 in favor of Bar.

 Rabbi Kalman Bar

Shas leader Deri knew about illegal funding of Shas party newspaper – report

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri was aware in 2022 that Haderech newspaper's salaries were funded illegally through the Shas education system.

 Moshe Gafni, Aryeh Deri