The opposition to the Israeli Premier government Benjamin Netanyahu was unable to approve a project to dissolve the local parliament amid a dispute between ultra -religious parties that make up the governing coalition. At the heart of the impasse is the pressure for the convening of young religious to the army, a taboo since the foundation of the country.
After discussions that dragged on the dawn on Thursday, local time (Wednesday night in Brazil), the head of the Foreign Relations and Defense Commission, Yuli Edelstein, Likud, Netanyahu’s party, said that “the principles that will be part of a proposal for the enlistment law had established.”
“As I said all the time, only a real and effective law project, which leads to the expansion of the FDI recruitment base (Israeli Defense Forces), will leave my commission,” Edelstein said, without detailing what was agreed or promised. – Soon, the Foreign Relations and Defense Commission will begin deliberations on the law and will forward it to the second and third readings. We are on our way to history.
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Faced with the extension of war in Gaza, which began in October 2023, and the perception of new threats, such as Iran, has grown in Israeli society the feeling that young ultraortodos who study in seminaries – now exempt from military service – are summoned, as with all Israelis.
The exemption was settled at the time of the founding of Israel in 1948, in exchange for support for the creation of a secular state – but last year the Supreme Court decided that they should be summoned and serve in the Armed Forces, just like any other Israeli citizen, beginning an internal political battle, in which Netanyahu could be one of the casualties. Since last year, 25,000 calls from young Orthodox have been made, and next month are planned another 50 thousand.
The debate gained a new breath last week, when army representatives said there was a deficit of 10,000 soldiers, 6,000 in combat roles, and left their opinions on the convening of ultraortodos.
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“This is a genuine operational necessity, which is why we are taking all the necessary measures,” said Army spokesman, Effie Defie-General Brigadier, presenting the number of military personnel during a televised press conference when asked about the recruitment.
Part of Premier’s base is made up of religious parties, who oppose the call and, added, have 18 votes in Parliament. Faced with fractures in the coalition, the oppositionists presented the dissolution project, with the votes of the Ultraortodos. During the discussions, some of these acronyms threatened to vote against the government, but were appeased by the Netanyahu shock troop. According to parliamentary leaders, negotiations on a final project for calls should follow the next few days: a desire for religious is to cut up to 50% the number of calls.
Even in a minority and with the agreement of the religious acronyms already signed, the opposition put the bill in voting, which received 62 votes against and 51 in favor, including some ultra -portodox deputies who do not discard the government, reducing the narrow majority of Netanyahu. With the defeat, a new similar text cannot be presented for the next six months.
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If approved on Wednesday, the project would still face months of discussion, commissions analysis and a new vote in plenary before leading to the de facto dissolution of the legislature. But analysts claim that if Netanyahu were defeated in the first vote, it would be a hard blow against his government, which could culminate in the convening of early elections – the vote is initially scheduled for October next year.
