August 20, 2012

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, spiritual head of the haredi Orthodox Shas Party, reportedly has been briefed on the threat from Iran.

Yosef met Monday with the head of Israel’s National Security Council, Maj.-Gen. Yaakov Amidror, the haredi website Kikar HaShabbat first reported.

The website said the meeting was confirmed by Ze’ev Elkin, the chairman of the Likud parliamentary group.

“I know the prime minister conducts a dialogue with the leaders of Shas and certainly with the rabbi,” Elkin told the website. “If and when the day comes” that Netanyahu decides to strike Iran, “he will present the rabbi with all the facts and all the data.”

Elkin declined to go into details about the dialogue, but called it “sensitive” and said it belonged “behind closed doors.”

The meeting is part of  Netanyahu’s efforts to obtain support from government ministers for an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Ynet reported, citing unnamed political sources.

Shas Chairman Eli Yishai, who is a member of the nine-minister security Cabinet, opposes such a strike.

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