Following the passage of the Basic Law: Torah Study, Haredi parties warned Tuesday morning that they will not vote on any coalition legislation unless the next bill brought forward is the one freezing arrests of draft-evading yeshiva students, according to reports. The ultimatum escalates the ongoing coalition standoff over military service exemptions.
Haredi coalition parties issued a fresh ultimatum to Prime Minister Netanyahu and the coalition leadership Tuesday morning, warning that they will not vote on any coalition legislation unless the next bill brought to the Knesset floor is the one freezing arrests of draft-evading yeshiva students. The threat comes as the arrest freeze bill itself advances to a final plenum vote—a step The Zioneer reported at 02:00 Jerusalem—and immediately after the Basic Law: Torah Study passed overnight, a key Haredi demand that had been the focus of weeks of coalition negotiations.
As The Zioneer reported at 02:00 Jerusalem, the Knesset plenum began the final vote on the arrest freeze bill Tuesday morning, despite a warning from the Chief of Staff that the legislation would strip the IDF of detention authority. Naftali Bennett condemned the bill as 'a deliberate and conscious harm to the IDF.' The vote was scheduled for 9:00 AM. The new ultimatum signals that the Haredi bloc is now pressing to ensure the arrest bill passes without delay, even as the coalition's internal crisis over military service exemptions continues.
The ultimatum follows a series of earlier Haredi demands. As The Zioneer reported, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri told the party faction on June 22 that Shas would not support any coalition legislation unless the Basic Law: Torah Study and the arrest freeze bill advanced. United Torah Judaism joined Shas on June 29, hardening the bloc's stance. The Basic Law: Torah Study was approved by the Ministerial Committee on June 9, but Haredi parties called it merely declarative without an equal-status clause. The arrest freeze bill has been a central point of contention.
It remains unclear whether the coalition will meet the Haredi ultimatum or face legislative paralysis. The arrest freeze bill is currently in the final plenum vote, but the ultimatum suggests the Haredi parties are not satisfied with the sequencing. The outcome of the vote, expected later Tuesday morning, will determine whether the coalition can proceed with other legislation.
4 developments
- StrongUnited Torah Judaism joins Shas in blocking coalition legislation unless draft-evader arrests end and Torah study Basic Law passes
- DevelopingCoalition leaders agree: Basic Law Torah Study and freeze on draft-dodger arrests to pass before Knesset disperses
- StrongDeri to coalition: no votes for any legislation unless Torah Study Basic Law advances
- StrongHaredi parties issue ultimatum to Netanyahu: pass Torah Study law or face Knesset dissolution
Source and signal
- Internal intake