Latest news with #Haredim
Al Bawaba
7 days ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Haredi draft law crisis threatens to cripple Netanyahu's coalition
ALBAWABA - The ultra-Orthodox military draft law is causing a political standoff that could end Israel's coalition government. Haredi parties are giving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government strict deadlines to meet. Kan, an Israeli news station, says that the current problem was started by Aryeh Deri, the head of the Shas party. This has already pushed back Netanyahu's planned trip abroad. Deri asked for a draft law on the forced service of Haredim (ultra-Orthodox Jews) to be shown right away and warned that if it wasn't, his party and its partners would fight any law supported by the government. In response, Netanyahu talked to Yuli Edelstein, who is the head of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Knesset. Edelstein promised that a draft of the bill would be ready in two days. Edelstein agreed to show Ariel Atias, a prominent member of Shas, the draft, but he made it clear that this version is not the final one and that the whole law would be sent in later. Edelstein said, "The crisis can't be solved without the final draft." "We won't put up with any more delays," a top Haredi official told Kan. The group will not be able to work if the law is not given by Monday. The threat includes not voting in Knesset on any bills, which is a big change from their earlier strategy of only rejecting certain laws. Yair Lapid, the head of the opposition, spoke out against the move and said Edelstein was wrong to share the draft with Haredi leaders before talking to Israel's troops and reservists. "This is the whole point of avoiding the draft," Lapid said. Opposition members also said Edelstein hid what the law said and skipped over committee meetings. At the same time, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi went to the ultra-Orthodox Hashmonaim training base to praise those who serve and stress that military service is acceptable with Haredi life. The rising tension shows how deeply divided the partnership is and makes people worry about how stable Netanyahu's government's legislation will be in the future.
Gulf Insider
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Netanyahu Survives Coalition Collapse, Strikes Deal With Ultra-Orthodox Partners
Israel's parliament narrowly rejected a preliminary bill to dissolve itself early on 12 June, avoiding the possibility of snap elections and preserving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fragile governing coalition. The motion, backed by opposition lawmakers, was defeated by a vote of 61 to 53 – just meeting the 61-seat threshold needed for passage in the 120-member failed vote followed a last-minute deal between coalition leaders and ultra-Orthodox parties regarding one of Israel's most divisive issues, which is mandatory military service for the ultra-Orthodox, or Haredim. While military service is compulsory for most Jewish Israelis, the ultra-Orthodox community – roughly 13 percent of the population – has long been granted exemptions if men are enrolled in full-time religious study. Ultra-orthodox parties have been pressuring the Netanyahu government to codify the exemptions by passing a new law. In a key development, Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein announced that his committee and ultra-Orthodox parties had reached a preliminary understanding to draft new legislation addressing the conscription issue. This agreement persuaded most ultra-Orthodox lawmakers to vote against dissolving the Knesset. However, the arrangement sparked backlash from both opposition leaders and within the coalition itself. Yair Golan, leader of the opposition Democrats party, condemned the agreement, saying, 'Netanyahu entered a room with the heads of the Haredi factions and left with a disgraceful agreement … There is no love for the country here. Only cynicism. Only selfish survival.' Golan accused Netanyahu of betraying both military service members and ultra-Orthodox citizens who wished to contribute to the state. Netanyahu narrowly averts government collapse over ultra-Orthodox conscription dispute——A motion to dissolve Israel's parliament because of friction over the conscription of Haredi men failed to pass on 11 June. The opposition reached a compromise, and only 53 voted in favor of… — The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) June 12, 2025 Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, head of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, resigned from Netanyahu's cabinet in protest over the compromise deal. Goldknopf, whose Hasidic Agudat Yisrael faction supported the Knesset's dissolution, said the new understandings fell short of promises made in coalition agreements. 'I can no longer take part as a member of this government,' he wrote in his resignation letter to Netanyahu. Goldknopf's resignation follows a previous symbolic resignation in March over the same issue. Despite his departure, UTJ remains part of the ruling coalition, which has been under pressure due to widespread discontent over the military burden placed on young Israelis tasked with executing the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. With the war now lasting more than 18 months, the Israeli army is facing growing manpower shortages, intensifying the debate over draft exemptions. Roughly 13,000 ultra-Orthodox men reach conscription age each year, but fewer than 10 percent enlist, according to the State Control Committee.
Arab News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
How much longer can Netanyahu survive in power?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just dodged a bullet. On Thursday, the Knesset held a vote that could have dissolved the parliament and forced snap elections. However, 61 members voted against the bill and only 53 voted in favor. This is despite a majority of Israelis (57 percent) wanting early elections. Again, Netanyahu has proved he is a political survivor. During Israel's post-Oct. 7 war on Gaza, a lot of scrutiny has been placed on the exemption from military service for the Haredim, ultra-Orthodox seminary students. The coalition government's two ultra-Orthodox parties had threatened to leave the government and back the vote to dissolve the Knesset if the exemption from military service was not added to a draft bill on the Israeli military. Netanyahu's government is made up of his Likud party, far-right groups led by the likes of Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, and the ultra-Orthodox parties. The coalition was experiencing a crisis. The far-right groups wanted to remove the privilege from the ultra-Orthodox groups, as they want the Haredim to be drafted for the Gaza war. With the bill's defeat, Netanyahu will be able to spend more time in power, as the polls are predicting he would lose if early elections were held. Netanyahu is a survivor, a true political animal. Regardless of the circumstances, he never throws in the towel. He knows how to stay in the game, no matter the cost. Netanyahu has been facing multiple corruption charges for years. Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was thrown in jail for corruption. He was convicted of bribery and obstruction of justice. But those charges are considered minor compared to Netanyahu's long list of alleged misdeeds. However, Netanyahu has so far been able to skillfully dodge every allegation. Netanyahu is a survivor, a true political animal. Regardless of the circumstances, he never throws in the towel Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib The current PM even changed the balance of power in the system in order to protect himself. In the year that preceded the start of the Gaza war, he introduced a bill that sought to remove the Supreme Court's supervision of government decisions. He subjugated the judicial system to make sure he remained above the law. Protests erupted in Tel Aviv as a result. They were supported by the opposition, former intelligence and military officers, former justices and community leaders. Protesters demanded Netanyahu's resignation. His judicial overhaul created a big rift in Israeli society. Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned that the country faced 'societal collapse.' But Netanyahu did not seem to care. His political survival was more important. The Oct. 7 attacks gave Netanyahu the perfect excuse to remain in power. The country was at war. However, that day also brought against him the ultimate charge: he was accused of negligence and allowing Oct. 7 to happen. However, instead of accepting personal and political responsibility, he tried to scapegoat his lieutenants. He shifted the blame to the military and the intelligence services. The war became a good excuse to delay talks about his corruption and his failures. Netanyahu needs the war to continue. Donald Trump, even though he was Netanyahu's preferred candidate in last year's US presidential election, brought a new hurdle. In his campaign, Trump promised to end all wars, including the one in Ukraine and the one in the Middle East. In the days before his inauguration in January, he sent his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Tel Aviv and a ceasefire was put in place. Netanyahu ultimately broke the ceasefire in March as he wanted to keep his coalition together. Ben-Gvir had left the government and Smotrich threatened to do the same, breaking the coalition, if the war were to permanently end. In this case, the country would hold new elections and Netanyahu might lose. So, he resumed the war — even though continuing the war defeated the purpose of why it started. The war was launched with the aim of saving the hostages, but Israeli attacks endanger them. The more Gaza is bombed, the more the hostages still held in Gaza are prone to being hit. For now, his ultimate goal is to keep his partners in the coalition happy, as he needs to survive as long as possible Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib Netanyahu is navigating this war with no strategy. His only goal is to survive for another day, as he knows that he may go to jail the day he is out of power. He has so many skeletons. The corruption charges were first, but the second set of charges he faces are over the negligence that led to Oct. 7. However, he is a master of deflection. He is losing the war but he can always find a stunt to boost his approval for a while, like the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last July. He knows what tactics to employ to remain in power. He knows which is the element he most needs to please at a certain moment and who he needs to scapegoat. He knows how to play his allies off against each other to create a balance that ensures he remains on top. For now, his ultimate goal is to keep his partners in the coalition happy, as he needs to survive as long as possible. Netanyahu is very much like Bashar Assad. The reason they were both able to hold on to power for so long is that there was no graceful exit available. Assad was lucky in that he was able to escape to Russia. But only so far. Russia could always turn him in to Damascus if it would clinch a deal with new Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa. For Netanyahu, if he leaves power, he will go to jail. He will have no graceful exit. There are many similarities between Assad and Netanyahu. Both are political animals solely focused on survival, regardless of what happens to their countries. They are both tactical, pleasing the party they need to stay alive at any particular moment, juggling between allies. The same way Assad played the Russians off against the Iranians, Netanyahu has been able to skillfully balance between the ultra-Orthodox and the far-right groups in his coalition — for now. However, these short-term tactics are not sustainable. In the end, Assad fell, and Netanyahu will too. • Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is a specialist in US-Arab relations with a focus on lobbying. She is co-founder of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace Building, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization focused on Track II.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel's Netanyahu holds on to power, attempt to dissolve government falls short
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition have faced the most serious challenge to their power since Oct. 7 after a bill to dissolve parliament and call for early elections failed. This is more than a momentary victory: under Israeli law, the bill's failure means that no other proposal to dissolve the Knesset (parliament) can be introduced for six months, buying Netanyahu and his coalition some time. Netanyahu Coalition Threatened By Conscription Standoff With Religious Parties Ultra-Orthodox lawmakers had threatened to dissolve the government amid a deadlock over exemptions to military service. According to the Associated Press, most of the ultra-Orthodox members of the Knesset agreed to vote against the bill after reaching a compromise with MK Yuli Edelstein, who leads the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Discussions about the new draft law will reportedly continue over the coming week. Edelstein has been a vocal opponent of any bill that would enshrine the ultra-Orthodox military service exemption into Israeli law, according to the Times of Israel. Netanyahu Accuses Israeli Police Of Trying To 'Topple' His Government Read On The Fox News App While Israel requires citizens to enlist in the military at age 18, several groups are exempt—including the ultra-Orthodox community, also known as Haredim—which makes up roughly 13% of Israeli society, according to the Associated Press. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have Haredi units, which allow soldiers to follow religious traditions more strictly than other parts of the army. However, many Haredim choose to study Torah instead. Opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the government "spat in the faces" of Israeli soldiers and "sold out our troops" with the compromise, the Times of Israel reported. The outlet added that Edelstein stated that the only way to get an "effective bill like this leading to an expansion of the IDF's conscription base" would be through his committee. The issue of religious exemption has been a debate among Israelis for decades, but it has become especially heated since Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre. Israel is currently fighting the longest war in its history as the country marks 20 months of its ground operation in Gaza. Israelis from all walks of life have been called up to the reserves throughout the war, fueling frustration with the Haredi community's article source: Israel's Netanyahu holds on to power, attempt to dissolve government falls short
Los Angeles Times
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Netanyahu's government survives vote to dissolve Israel's parliament
JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government survived an attempt to dissolve Israel's parliament early Thursday morning, with most of his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners joining him in voting against a bill that would have forced them to register for military service while the country is at war. The vote was the most serious challenge to Netanyahu's government since the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which was the biggest security failure in Israel's history and triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. The bill's failure means that no other piece of legislation to dissolve parliament, called the Knesset, can be submitted for at least six months, shoring up Netanyahu's embattled coalition. The ultra-Orthodox parties are furious that the government has failed to pass a law exempting their community from mandatory military service. The issue has long divided the Jewish Israeli public, especially during the 20-month war in the Gaza Strip. Israel's opposition had hoped that the public anger over the exemptions would help topple the government. But just two of the 18 ultra-Orthodox members of the Knesset supported the bill. Most ultra-Orthodox legislators agreed to vote against the bill after Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein said that he and the ultra-Orthodox parties had reached an understanding on the basis of a new draft law, which they will continue discussing over the coming week. Yitzhak Goldknopf, the head of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, resigned in protest as the Minister of Construction and Housing, but will remain a member of the Knesset. Ari Kalman, spokesperson for Goldknopf, said that the minister resigned because he was frustrated with Netanyahu's constant requests for more time to pass a draft exemption law. 'Whatever they haven't been able to do over the past year they won't do in a week,' Kalman said. Military service is mandatory for most Jews in Israel, but the politically powerful ultra-Orthodox, who make up roughly 13% of Israeli society, have traditionally received exemptions if they are studying full time in religious seminaries. The ultra-Orthodox, also known as Haredim, or 'God-fearing' in Hebrew, say that integrating into the army threatens their traditional way of life. Each year, roughly 13,000 ultra-Orthodox men reach the conscription age of 18, but less than 10% enlist, according to parliament's State Control Committee, which held a hearing examining the issue. Israel is engaged in the longest active war in the country's history, which has stretched its military to the breaking point. The Haredim's widespread refusal to serve, and threats to topple the government during wartime, have enraged many Israelis, especially those who have served multiple rounds of reserve duty. Lidman writes for the Associated Press.
