From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Netanyahu leaves hospital against medical advice, arrives in Knesset for critical vote
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Less than two days after undergoing prostate removal surgery, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has left the hospital to attend a critical budget vote in the Knesset.
A source familiar with the matter tells The Times of Israel that Netanyahu left Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital against the advice of his doctors and is expected to return.
Netanyahu is seen taking his seat in the plenum, looking drawn and tired.
According to the Walla news site, Netanyahu is attending today’s plenum session despite his doctors’ objections due to what one senior coalition official termed “National Security Minister Itamar] Ben Gvir’s reckless opposition.”
Earlier today, the hospital said Netanyahu’s recovery was proceeding without any major issues.
The far-right Otzma Yehudit party and ultra-Orthodox Agudat Yisrael faction of the United Torah Judaism party have threatened since yesterday to oppose the Trapped Profits Law, insisting their demands be met first.
Lawmakers are slated to vote on the final readings of the law this afternoon as well as a bill increasing health insurance premiums. Today’s is the final Knesset session of the year, and the last opportunity to pass these bills.
Members of the coalition have been filibustering to delay a vote on the two budget bills while they scramble to muster enough support for the measures, which must be passed by midnight in order to prevent a budget deficit of approximately NIS 15 billion ($4 billion).
MK Yitzhak Pindrus, who represents the Degel Hatorah faction of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, spoke for three hours in the Knesset plenum before deferring to Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem who speaks at length — lecturing, laughing and even singing from the podium.
The Haredi station Radio Kol Hai reports that Netanyahu reached out to the powerful rebbe of Gur to try and bring Agudat Yisrael — the other UTJ faction –back on board with the budget.
Likud MK Boaz Bismuth was asked to leave the shiva (the seven-day mourning period) for his mother to come to the Knesset to vote on the Trapped Profits Law, and he has done so.
Earlier on Tuesday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called on Netanyahu to “take responsibility” for making sure the budget passes.
The Times of Israel Community.