MK Asher: Draft flexibility welcome, but no offer yet

United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher responded Friday to a reported shift in the political landscape on the draft law, after Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman signaled willingness to compromise on the issue. "It is gratifying to discover the flexibility of all the political players on the draft issue," Asher wrote in a statement.

"It is painful to think how much incitement and sinat chinam could have been spared if that same flexibility had been shown in recent years," the party chairman added, referring to the political crises that have marked recent years over the draft question.

Asher chose to illustrate his position through this week's parsha, which deals with the shidduch of Yitzchak and Rivkah. "It is written: 'Let us call the girl and ask her,'" Asher quoted from the parsha. "It is worth remembering this when dealing with political shidduchim that have not yet been proposed to one of the parties."

The UTJ chairman made clear that any political proposal would first be brought for rabbinic decision. "Of course, any proposal will first be brought for the decision of the 'mechutanim', our gedolei hador shlita," Asher wrote.

Asher's remarks come against the backdrop of reports of a dramatic shift in Liberman's position, removing his years-long veto on the chareidi parties. According to a Channel 12 report, the change bloc is advancing a government with United Torah Judaism based on a lenient draft law, with the expectation that negotiations would be conducted on the basis of the 2018 exemption law.

A further backdrop to the move is United Torah Judaism's dramatic decision not to recommend Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in consultations at the President's Residence. The decision was made after party chairman Yaakov Asher requested permission from rosh yeshiva Rav Dov Lando shlita to recommend Netanyahu, but received an unequivocal answer: "I don't believe him, he lied to us."

Liberman published a statement explaining the shift in his position. "On all other issues it is permitted and desirable to be flexible and to compromise and to understand that if you grasp too much, you grasp nothing," he wrote. "This includes the draft law as well. It pains me, and I know it pains many others. But in light of the array of challenges we are facing today, the national interest of the State of Israel and the people of Israel must stand above every other consideration."

Liberman clarified that he is maintaining the three red lines he set: ending the Netanyahu era, avoiding another election, and opposition to a government that would rely on abstention by the Joint List and Ra'am. On these issues, he said, there is no room for compromise, but on other matters, including the draft law, there is room for flexibility.