The emerging US-Iran deal is divine retribution for efforts to enforce stricter measures against haredi draft evaders, according to former Sephardi chief rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the spiritual leader of Shas.
The shift in orders has led US President Donald Trump to “turn against” Israel, he said Saturday night in Rishon Lezion.
Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara was ordering the crackdown against haredi draft evaders and is a “wicked woman,” Yosef said.
The emerging deal led by Trump has been widely criticized by Israeli cabinet ministers, MKs from the coalition and opposition, and government officials.
“Trump turned against us because of the decrees being imposed on Torah scholars and because they are being arrested,” Yosef said.
Regarding Baharav-Miara, he said: “This woman, Jezebel, this wicked woman is giving these orders.”
“They have no brains,” Yosef said. “Instead of strengthening the Torah scholars… stop arresting them.”
In April, the High Court of Justice ordered 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 in 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 legislation to enshrine the Torah as a Basic Law. According to critics of the legislation, it seeks to encourage draft evasion and change the status of yeshiva students who do not serve, enabling them to continue receiving state benefits.
The contentious bill passed its preliminary reading in June after having received government backing.
Another bill for state daycare subsidies passed its preliminary reading in May. The haredi-backed controversial bill aims to change the eligibility criteria for daycare subsidies, basing it solely on a mother’s income. According to critics of the legislation, it will encourage state subsidies for parents of draft evaders.
The haredi parties have threatened to halt voting with the coalition until the bills proceed, which caused other legislation to be delayed last week.
Haredi MKs visit arrested draft dodgers in prison
Leaders of the haredi parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, have repeatedly visited arrested haredi draft evaders held in military prison, expressing support for them and calling for their release.
Legislation that seeks to enshrine Torah study as a Basic Law would soon be passed, Shas chairman Arye Deri said during a visit to the prison earlier this month.
His party colleagues, MKs Michael Malkieli and Minister in the Education Ministry Haim Biton, accompanied him on the visit to Neveh Tzedek Military Prison.
Deri met with several draft evaders during the trip and gave them books, Shas reported.
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,” it said.
Deri said Baharav-Miara was sabotaging legislation that would help them.
Haredi party leaders have encouraged the 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.