🇮🇱 Haredi allies may ditch Netanyahu bloc for Eisenkot over Ultra-Orthodox draft deal - report As Gadi Eisenkot faces a tough deadline to form Israel's next government, Israel's Shas party is weighing a political switch, The Jerusalem Post reports. The Sephardi ultra-Orthodox party may be prepared to support a government led by Eisenkot, and is reportedly waiting for its fellow Haredi faction, United Torah Judaism (UTJ), to make the first move away from Netanyahu's bloc. The UTJ could effectively act as a political intermediary, allowing Shas to join or support an alternative government while preserving its standing among pro-Netanyahu voters, notes the publication. Several factors feed into Shas's caution: 🔶 the party estimates that around 100,000 of its voters are traditional rather than strictly ultra-Orthodox, making an abrupt break with Netanyahu politically costly 🔶 its recent electoral setback – dropping from 11 seats to just 6 in the Knesset - has left it reluctant to risk further losses by alienating supporters who remain loyal to Netanyahu 🔶 a stable alternative government could allow Shas to present its participation as a reluctant response to circumstances rather than a deliberate shift in allegiance The military draft issue remains the main potential incentive. 👉 After years of controversy over exemptions for yeshiva students, resolving their legal status could make participation in a non-Netanyahu government more acceptable within the Haredi community. However, bringing ultra-Orthodox parties into an alternative coalition would likely come with demands to protect religious restrictions, including opposition to public transport on Shabbat and civil marriage. 👍 Substack | Chat | @geopolitics_prime