From the Liveblog of
Monday, May 12, 2025
Haredi MKs reportedly keeping conscription ultimatum hanging over coalition
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
The Knesset’s ultra-Orthodox parties have informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they will continue sitting out votes on coalition legislation, the Ynet news site reports.
Both Shas and United Torah Judaism said last week they would boycott votes on coalition legislation during last Wednesday’s Knesset session in protest of the government’s failure to pass a draft exemption law for their community. After their announcement, coalition bills were removed from the agenda.
Last week, UTJ lawmaker Yaakov Asher warned in an interview with the Haredi news site Kikar HaShabbat that if the Knesset did not pass draft exemption legislation by the end of the summer session on July 27, his party would no longer be able to remain in the government.
According to Ynet, Haredi lawmakers have been approaching Likud backbenchers to make the case that early elections could endanger their place in the Knesset.
The Times of Israel Community.