Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under serious pressure: ultra-Orthodox parties are threatening to support a bill to dissolve the Knesset as early as this Wednesday. The reason for this is the delay in the adoption of a new law on military conscription, which is critical for influential religious circles. If the vote does take place, the country could hold early elections by the end of the year, Ynet news reports.
The main driving force in the parliament is the United Torah Judaism party, which has publicly warned that without a law acceptable to the rabbinical leadership, it will support the dissolution. The government urgently submitted a revised version of the bill, but it was opposed even within Knesset committees. In addition, the prime minister attempted to persuade the head of the parliamentary committee, Yuli Edelstein, to ease sanctions against conscientious objectors.
The Shas party, which has 11 seats, could be decisive in the vote: if it does not support the law, the parliament will not be dissolved due to a likely 60-60 tie. There is also a lack of unity among the Hasidic factions themselves – while Degel HaTorah is determined, Shas is showing a willingness to compromise. Meanwhile, signals are coming from the prime minister’s office that security threats from Iran and Hamas are a good reason to postpone the height of the election campaign.
However, a crisis of confidence is brewing within the coalition and the opposition: the opposition Yisrael Beytenu is pressuring Shas to make a public statement. At the same time, Yesh Atid is ready to withdraw its bill if a compromise is found within the coalition.
For Netanyahu, the situation is critical. His allies are actively negotiating to postpone the vote for at least a week. However, frustration is growing among the Hasidim: “Netanyahu is not offering a solution, he is just stalling for time,” sources say.
The outcome is expected in the near future, and it could dramatically change the political landscape of Israel.
