Former Sephardi chief rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, who serves as the spiritual leader of the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) party Shas, said that the emerging US-Iran deal was divine retribution for efforts to enforce stricter measures against haredi draft evaders, and claimed the shift in orders has led US President Donald Trump to “turn against” Israel.
Yosef also slammed Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, saying that she was ordering the crackdown against haredi draft evaders and calling her a “wicked woman,” as he made the remarks on Saturday evening during a speech in Rishon Lezion.
The emerging deal led by Trump has been widely criticized by Israeli officials, ministers, and lawmakers from both the coalition and opposition.
“Trump turned against us because of the decrees being imposed on Torah scholars and because they are being arrested,” Yosef said.
Addressing Baharav-Miara, he added: “This woman, Jezebel, this wicked woman, is giving these orders.”
הראשון לציון, הרב יצחק יוסף, בשיעורו השבועי הערב: “טראמפ התהפך עלינו בגלל הגזירות שעושים על בני תורה ושעוצרים אותם”. על היועמ”שית אמר הרב: “האישה הזאת איזבל, המרשעת הזאת היא נותנת את ההוראות האלו”@daniel_grovais pic.twitter.com/13lCBVQ8FX
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“They have no brains. Instead of strengthening the Torah scholars…Stop arresting them,” he also said in his speech.
The timing of the remarks comes amid high tensions over the issue of haredi conscription, as the IDF has warned of a severe manpower crisis.
The High Court of Justice ordered in April that the state take concrete steps to revoke key financial benefits from draft evaders and to move toward criminal enforcement against haredi men who evade military service.
Sharp increase of draft evader arrests, protests
There has also been an increase in arrests of draft evaders by police recently, leading to frequent haredi protests throughout the country, which have heavily disrupted commuting routes.
The arrests of draft evaders have caused haredi MKs to call for the halting of cooperation with the police.
The haredi parties have also been pushing to advance contentious legislation that seeks to enshrine Torah study in the country’s Basic Law. Critics state that the legislation seeks to encourage draft evasion and change the status of yeshiva students who do not serve, enabling them to continue receiving state benefits.
The bill passed its preliminary reading in June after having received government backing.
Another controversial bill for state day subsidies passed its preliminary reading in May. The haredi-backed bill aims to change the eligibility criteria for daycare subsidies, basing it solely on a mother’s income, in a move that critics argue will encourage state subsidies for parents of draft evaders.
The haredi parties have threatened to halt their voting with the coalition until there is progress with the bills, causing other legislation to be delayed last week in the Knesset.
Haredi MKs visit arrested draft dodgers in prison
Leaders of the haredi parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, have also repeatedly visited arrested haredi draft evaders held in military prison, expressing support for them and calling for their release.
Shas Party leader Aryeh Deri vowed during his visit to the prison earlier this month that legislation that seeks to set Torah study as a Basic Law would soon be passed.
Other lawmakers from his party, including MK Michael Malkieli and Haim Biton, accompanied Deri on the visit to the NeveTzedek Military Prison.
Shas noted that Deri met with numerous draft evaders during the trip and handed out books to them.
Shas stated that Deri “sought to encourage the detainees and emphasized that the entire Shas movement stands behind them, supports them, and is working with all its strength to secure their swift release and the regulation of their status.”
Deri also slammed Baharav-Miara during his visit, claiming outside the prison that she was “sabotaging” legislation aiding draft evaders.
Haredi party leaders have continuously pushed for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition to advance legislation that would not increase haredi enlistment. The IDF has repeatedly warned of an urgent manpower shortage, particularly after more than two years of war.
In March, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir said the IDF could soon collapse if there is no solution to the manpower shortage.
