Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri and Degel Hatorah Chairman Moshe Gafni met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this afternoon (Tuesday).
The two demanded that Netanyahu advance the Basic Law on Torah Study and the Law to Stop the Arrests of Deserters - or dissolve the Knesset immediately.
After the meeting, the two issued a joint statement:
"Today we held a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and conveyed to him, on behalf of the great men of Israel, an unequivocal demand to immediately advance the Basic Law on Torah Study and the law to stop the arrests of Torah students, by convening the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee and the Knesset Committee this week.".
""We made it clear that if we do not see practical actions as we demanded, we will support the dissolution of the Knesset as early as next week.".
""The Prime Minister made it clear at the meeting that he is committed to approving the laws and will work to advance them quickly."
Shas and Degel HaTorah also clarify: "Contrary to the publications, there is no 'deal' with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Our demand to promote a Basic Law on Torah Study and the law to prevent the arrests of Torah students stands on its own, is not conditional on anything, and we have not given up on any demand.".
""As we see that these laws are being promoted in a practical way, we will be able to vote again on coalition legislation, in accordance with the teachings of the great men of Israel."
