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Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Likud said to hold meeting with Shas, UTJ over ousting Edelstein
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"
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party is currently speaking with the coalition’s ultra-Orthodox factions about the possibility of removing MK Yuli Edelstein from the chairmanship of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Israel Hayom reports.
Despite extended negotiations between Haredi representatives and coalition officials over the enlistment bill currently making its way through his committee, Edelstein’s spokesman vowed earlier today that no decision on revising the legislation will be made without the veteran Likud lawmaker’s agreement.
The heart of the current crisis lies with the ultra-Orthodox leadership’s frustration with Edelstein, who has long blocked the passage of a government-backed bill enshrining the broad exclusion from IDF service for Haredim — and has instead been pledging that any law coming out of his committee would levy strong financial sanctions on draft dodgers.
The Times of Israel Community.