“WE WERE TOLD TO BUY TIME”: Deri Admits No Solution to Yeshiva Draft Crisis, Reveals Rabbonim’s Instructions at Closed-Door Gathering
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri has acknowledged that there is no realistic solution to the ongoing dispute over drafting chareidi yeshiva students into the IDF, revealing during a closed-door gathering in Modiin Illit that the instructions he received from senior rabbonim were to prolong the political process and gain as much time as possible.
The remarks, disclosed Monday evening by Israel’s Channel 13 News, have drawn attention because they present a different picture of Shas’s strategy from the message the party has recently emphasized in its public election campaign.
According to the report, Deri told participants at the private gathering that the dispute over military conscription could not be resolved under the existing circumstances and that the rabbinic leadership had directed him to focus on delaying developments rather than expecting a comprehensive legislative settlement.
“You cannot solve the problem. The instruction from the rabbonim was to buy time,” Deri was quoted as saying, according to an English translation of the Hebrew remarks reported by Channel 13.
The disclosure comes as Shas has been working to broaden its appeal ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections, highlighting the party’s identification with the State of Israel and expressing appreciation for IDF soldiers.
That public messaging has attracted particular attention because the party’s rabbinic leadership continues to maintain strong opposition to the compulsory enlistment of yeshiva students.
The newly reported remarks suggest that Deri views the political negotiations over a draft law primarily as a means of protecting the chareidi community from immediate enforcement measures while postponing a confrontation that he believes cannot presently be resolved.
The Channel 13 report did not establish when the private gathering took place or provide the full recording and surrounding context of Deri’s remarks. It also did not identify which rabbonim issued the instructions he described.
The comments nevertheless add another dimension to the long-running struggle over military service, which has become one of the most contentious issues in Israeli politics.
For years, chareidi parties have sought legislation protecting the ability of yeshiva students to continue learning without being required to enlist in the IDF. Those efforts have repeatedly encountered legal challenges and opposition from political parties demanding a broader distribution of military obligations.
The dispute has become especially intense since the outbreak of the war following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, as the military has faced increased manpower requirements and reservists have been called up for extended periods.
The IDF has maintained that it urgently needs additional soldiers, while chareidi leaders insist that the preservation of full-time Torah learning is an essential religious responsibility.
Deri has previously expressed skepticism that the military genuinely wants to accommodate chareidi recruits who insist on maintaining their religious standards.
During a September interview with Kol Berama radio, the Shas chairman rejected suggestions that he should personally call upon chareidi men who are not learning full-time to enlist.
He argued that the military was capable of addressing its own recruitment difficulties and accused the IDF of failing to provide adequate frameworks for chareidi soldiers.
Deri also maintained that the army’s preference for a secular military environment was incompatible with the requirements of many chareidi recruits, although the IDF has established dedicated service frameworks, including the Chashmonaim Brigade, specifically intended to accommodate chareidi religious observance.
Those earlier comments drew criticism from political opponents, including former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who argued that the growing burden on serving soldiers required greater participation from the chareidi population.
The latest disclosure comes against the backdrop of a change in Shas’s public campaign strategy.
Recent party messaging has placed greater emphasis on solidarity with soldiers and their families, reflecting an effort to appeal to voters who identify with the military and the broader Israeli national experience.
At the same time, senior rabbonim associated with Shas have continued to speak against the drafting of yeshiva students, with some rejecting military enlistment even for young men who are not actively studying in yeshiva.
The contrast between those positions has raised questions about how Shas intends to reconcile its public expressions of support for soldiers with its continued opposition to compulsory chareidi enlistment.
Deri’s remarks at the Modiin Illit gathering indicate that, at least in the private discussion reported Monday, he was candid about the limits of what political negotiations could accomplish.
His acknowledgment that the rabbonim had instructed him to gain time also echoes an earlier position he expressed during a visit to Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman in January 2025.
At that meeting, Deri indicated that he did not see a practical solution to the draft controversy and spoke about awaiting the arrival of Moshiach rather than expecting the political system to resolve the matter.
The current dispute has also involved repeated attempts by the governing coalition to advance legislation that would regulate the status of chareidi yeshiva students and restrict enforcement measures against those who have not reported for military service.
In July, the coalition attempted to introduce a temporary suspension of arrests of chareidi draft evaders, but the High Court intervened before the measure could take effect.
The legal proceedings have further complicated efforts to reach an agreement acceptable to both the chareidi parties and lawmakers demanding greater enlistment.
