From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Far-right MKs backtrack over bill on daycare subsidies for Haredi draft evaders
Two members of the far-right Religious Zionism party appear to backtrack after reportedly saying they would not vote for the controversial so-called Daycare Law being pushed by the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party to preserve subsidies for Haredi draft evaders.
Two lawmakers from the far-right Religious Zionism party — Moshe Solomon and Ohad Tal — were said to have declared earlier this morning that they would not vote for the legislation, meaning that the government would not have a majority for the vote.
However, in a statement they say there have been “negotiations throughout the morning between [United Torah Judaism] MK Yisrael Eichler and Religious Zionism.” Eichler initiated the legislation.
“Until the vote, we say, and will continue to say, our position is one of partnership and making decisions together,” they say.
“We believe that these days, we must act to increase the participation of all sectors of the population for Israel’s security needs and we hope that we will be able to reach agreements on the matter with all sections of the coalition,” they say.
The coalition holds an eight-seat majority.
Last night, Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, the chairman of the powerful Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, declared he will not back the bill.
Minister Gideon Sa’ar, the chairman of the coalition’s New Hope party, said his party, holding four seats, will vote against the legislation when it comes up for a Knesset vote, and Likud MKs Moshe Saada and Dan Illouz have also said they will not vote for the legislation.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is also widely expected to vote against the law, while Religious Zionism Immigration Minister Ofir Sofer has said he will not vote for the bill until there is progress on issue of Haredi draft exemptions.
The cabinet advanced the proposed law on Sunday in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation. The bill will now head to the Knesset for a vote in a preliminary reading, likely tomorrow.
The legislation, which was submitted last week, aims to guarantee that the children of ultra-Orthodox men who are obligated to perform military service, but have not done so, will continue to be eligible for state-funded daycare subsidies.
It aims to circumvent a High Court of Justice ruling that such financial support is illegal in cases where the father should be serving in the Israel Defense Forces but is not.
The bill is highly controversial, with critics asserting that it would continue to encourage ultra-Orthodox men not to perform military service even as the IDF faces severe manpower shortages after a yearlong multifront war against the Hamas and Hezbollah terror groups.
