Parliament convenes for vote to disband, triggered by Netanyahu due to ultra-Orthodox conscription dispute
In a fierce battle, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a potentially game-changing vote to dissolve the parliament, with key coalition partners threatening to topple his government. Despite these threats, few anticipate Netanyahu's exit or the fall of his far-right government, which has weathered the storm following the Hamas-led October 2023 attack.
The opposition-led vote could pass if Netanyahu's ultra-Orthodox coalition partners break ranks over the recurring deadlock on a law exempting their community from military service. This issue, bitterly contested among Israelis and intensified during the ongoing Gaza conflict, has the power to fracture the coalition.
The ultra-Orthodox, estimated to constitute approximately 13% of Israeli society, traditionally receive exemptions from military service if they are full-time religious seminary students. Yet, this longstanding practice, opposed by the general public, has drawn heavy criticism and ignited fierce debates concerning its legality and fairness.
With the military stretched to its limits due to Israel's longest active war in history, the high demand for reservists and reduced participation has become a critical issue. As more reservists have served multiple rounds of duty in Gaza, some are refusing new call-ups, exacerbating the military's strain.
The military enlistment exemption dates back to Israel's 1948 foundation, initially allowing small numbers of scholar exemptions in response to the decimation of Jewish scholarship during the Holocaust. However, the influx of politically influential religious parties has led to the swelling of numbers to tens of thousands today. Israel's Supreme Court ruled the exemptions unlawful as far back as 2017. But repeated extensions and government delays have stalled the passing of a replacement law.
Rabbi Ephraim Luft, a prominent figure from the ultra-Orthodox stronghold of Bnei Barak, believes that the community's commitment to upholding religious commandments serves as adequate protection for the country, though many disagree. The mingling of different backgrounds and ideas during mandatory military service, he argues, presents issues of morality.
The ultra-Orthodox Shas and Degel HaTorah parties, integral to Netanyahu's coalition, hold the power to spark the coalition's collapse by voting to dissolve the government. Both parties have hinted at supporting dissolution if negotiations fail. If this were to happen, Israel would face a series of bureaucratic processes and potential gridlock that could last for weeks or months.
In the midst of these challenges, it remains uncertain whether the dissolution vote will pass this Wednesday. Should one ultra-Orthodox party be absent, the vote would fail, and another could not come into motion for six months.
Tension is high among ultra-Orthodox leaders, who face ambitious moves from the community and religious decries against military service. With the potential of arrests awaiting those refusing to enlist, the pressure cooks. Netanyahu, meanwhile, maintains that the ongoing war necessitates a united front against enemies.
At this juncture, the ultra-Orthodox parties are keen on seeing the conflict come to an end quickly. They believe that once the war is over, pressure will abate and they can reassert their campaign to secure a military exemption law. Ultimately, developments are unfolding at a rapid pace, with potentially far-reaching implications for Israel and the ongoing Gaza conflict.
- The impending dissolution vote, led by opposition parties, could potentially reshape Israel's government, with the ultra-Orthodox Shas and Degel HaTorah parties holding the power to dissolve the current coalition over the contentious military service exemption issue, a topic that has been intensified during the ongoing Gaza conflict and deeply dividing Israeli society.
- The general news landscape is abuzz with politics and war-and-conflicts, as the Israeli government faces internal strife, society grapples with contentious debates on religious exemptions from military service, and the military deals with the strain of extended conflict in Gaza, all factors that could significantly impact the future of the country and the ongoing conflict.
