Chabad Chassid From Lod Set To Become Likud's First Chareidi MK

Rebel Likud MK Dan Illouz submitted his resignation from the Knesset to Speaker Amir Ohana on Tuesday morning, citing opposition to draft evasion legislation. Illouz announced he is joining Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party, stating: "As long as I served in the Knesset, I worked to block this legislation, which contradicts Likud's stated values. Netanyahu failed and didn't take responsibility and must go home. The place for members of the Zionist right is no longer in a Likud that has lost its way, but in Yisrael Beiteinu."

He will be replaced by Shabtai Katash, the next on the Likud list, who will become the party's first Chareidi Knesset member. Katash is a Chabad chassid, attorney and real estate entrepreneur from Lod who won the Chareidi slot in the 2022 party primaries. He studied at Tomchei Temimim yeshivas in Lod and Kfar Chabad and previously served on the Lod City Council, holding the tenders portfolio, and as chairman of the city's Religious Council. Katash has also served as secretary of the Neria yishuv, a member of the Central Elections Committee, and held various roles in Likud including membership in the party's Central Committee and the secretariat of its Georgian Forum. He holds a bachelor's degree in law, received semicha from the Chief Rabbinate, and volunteers for ZAKA.