Report: Haredi parties demand halt to judicial overhaul, even if means Justice Minister Levin quits

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Haredi coalition partners are demanding that the entire legislative process of the government’s judicial overhaul be halted indefinitely and only be advanced if there is broad agreement, a report says.

Citing the head of one of the ultra-Orthodox Knesset factions, the Kikar HaShabbat news site reports that the Haredi coalition partners are deeply troubled by Netanyahu’s conduct and feel like he’s trying to deflect criticism from himself to the Haredi community, including by issuing a statement against recent incidents of discrimination against women by ultra-Orthodox bus drivers and passengers, and against the backdrop of efforts to pass a bill regulating military exemptions for Haredi men.

The report says the Haredi parties believe the overhaul has divided Israelis too much and are even willing to see Justice Minister Yariv Levin quit his post, as he’s threatened to do if the bills aren’t advanced at a quick enough pace.

The report adds that if more overhaul bills are brought for votes without the agreement of the opposition, the Haredi parties will vote against them.