November 12, 2026
The political arena in Israel is witnessing a rapid movement towards the formation of a new government headed by Gadi Eisenkot, which aims primarily to remove Benjamin Netanyahu from power. In this context, striking differences emerge between the Haredi parties regarding joining the “Change Bloc”, as the “United Torah Judaism” party leads the talks, while the “Shas” party appears to be clinging to its traditional alliances with the right-wing camp.
In a radio interview conducted today, Thursday, on “103FM” radio with media personality Sivan Cohen, political analyst Itzik Sodry, from “Channel 16,” explained that the differences between the two parties are due to social and religious considerations related to each other’s audience, and pointed out that the Eastern Haredi leadership represents broader and more diverse segments, and includes circles of religious and traditionalists, unlike the Ashkenazi Haredi leadership, whose base is limited to the extremists.
Soudry stressed that the position of Shas party leader Aryeh Deri is strong and stable, ruling out at the current stage his party’s joining a change government due to the depth of its alliance with the right and the traditional public descending from the womb of the Likud party, and pointing out that the party’s agenda is broader than narrow religious issues to include diverse regions and traditions. He stressed the necessity of leaving the task of leading communications to the “United Torah Judaism” party as the initiating party.
On the other hand, Sudry explained that the “United Torah Judaism” party faces internal complications, as it includes Hasidic and Lithuanian movements with different religious leaders and authorities, which makes unifying the position a complex matter that requires the approval of all rabbis. Despite this, he pointed out that there is a strong desire among the “Change Bloc” to make concessions in the conscription law in order to secure a legal settlement for religious institute students, which is a sacred and shared goal that coincides with the desire of all parties to revive efforts to remove Netanyahu.
Sodry concluded by pointing out that the success of these understandings faces two crucial tests: The first is to obtain the approval of senior rabbis and Ashkenazi religious authorities, and the second relates to the ability of any proposed formula, especially regarding the conscription law and preserving the independence of ultra-Orthodox education, to withstand the oversight of the Israeli Supreme Court.
