Rav Moshe Maya, the senior member of Shas’s Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah, made clear on Thursday that the party is not currently considering rejoining the governing coalition.
Speaking to close associates, Rav Maya stated unequivocally, “אין מה לדבר כרגע על חזרה לממשלה — there’s no discussion right now about returning to the government.”
In recent days, coalition officials have been working to project an image of progress on the long-delayed draft law, viewed as a key condition for bringing Shas back into the fold. However, senior coalition sources acknowledged that, despite public messaging, “there has been no real breakthrough yet.”
Associates of Rav Maya emphasized that “without genuine progress on the draft law, Shas will not be able to justify coming back to the cabinet table.”
The issue comes to a head next week: On October 20, the temporary appointments of acting ministers who have been holding Shas portfolios for the past three months are set to expire. Prime Minister Netanyahu will then be forced to reopen the ministerial appointment process, a move that often triggers political tension, particularly amid an ongoing hostage deal, internal coalition instability, and a draft law that has remained stuck in committee for two years.
Last month, as first reported by Matzav.com, Rav Maya sent a letter to fellow members of the Shas Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah urging an emergency meeting to discuss the draft law and other recent decrees. “I believe there is a need to convene the Council to discuss the matter of the draft and other decrees,” Rav Maya wrote. He stressed the importance of assembling the Council as soon as possible and instructed, “Please coordinate with our beloved Rabbi Aryeh shlit”a,” referring to Shas chairman Aryeh Deri.
{Matzav.com}
