Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu is expected to create greater public distance between himself and Israel's chareidi parties as the next election campaign approaches, according to reporting Monday evening, even as he seeks to preserve the cohesion of the right-wing coalition.
Senior Likud officials said Netanyahu intends to emphasize that separation as campaigning intensifies. "As we get closer to the elections and the campaign begins, Netanyahu plans to deepen the separation from the Chareidim and try to distance himself from them publicly," One senior party official said.
Another senior Likud figure acknowledged the political challenge ahead. "He will have to walk a tightrope so as not to attack the Chareidim directly and damage the bloc," The official said.
The statement comes amid tensions within Israel's right-wing camp over military service and public support for IDF soldiers. On Monday, Netanyahu responded after remarks by rosh yeshiva Rav Dov Landau criticizing elements of the Religious Zionist community sparked controversy.
Without naming Rav Landau directly, Netanyahu wrote that "IDF soldiers deserve deep appreciation, gratitude, and the full backing of every segment of the public, certainly including the Torah world." He stated that Israel's soldiers - religious, secular, and chareidi alike - risk their lives to defend the country.
Netanyahu adviser Yonatan Urich also weighed in, writing: "Better late than never: Do not speak disparagingly about IDF soldiers. I repeat and emphasize: Do not speak disparagingly about IDF soldiers. Not perhaps, not indirectly, not because of something else, not at all."
Urich rejected a clarification from Rav Landau's office stating the rav had not spoken about Religious Zionist soldiers themselves but was discussing a theoretical halachic matter. Urich responded: "That is the most distorted clarification I have ever seen. Here's a suggestion: Let the political operatives keep quiet for 99 days so that we can win the election."