Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has decided to support the bill exempting Haredi draft evaders from arrest, reversing his earlier stance following overnight negotiations with Haredi parties, according to N12's Dafna Liel. In exchange, the coalition will advance bills by MK Orit Strock easing establishment of local councils in the Negev and a credit data law erasing credit records.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has reversed his opposition to the bill exempting Haredi draft evaders from arrest, agreeing to support it after overnight negotiations with Haredi parties, as reported by N12's Dafna Liel. In exchange, the coalition will advance two bills: one by MK Orit Strock easing the establishment of local councils in the Negev, and a credit data law that erases credit records. The shift marks a departure from Smotrich's earlier stance this month, when he opposed the Haredi Torah-study Basic Law, as The Zioneer reported on June 8. The arrest exemption bill has been a contentious issue within the coalition, with the IDF Chief of Staff's letter against it causing some Haredi supporters to waver, as The Zioneer reported on July 13. The deal appears to shore up coalition support for the bill, though final passage remains uncertain.
2 developments
- DevelopingThree coalition MKs oppose Haredi arrest exemption bill, Religious Zionism backs it
- DevelopingNetanyahu-Haredi coalition deal deepens: immunity from arrest for draft evaders
- DevelopingSmotrich backs Lebanon deal, in apparent shift
- DevelopingSmotrich reportedly reverses course on Lebanon deal, seeks new vote
Source and signal
- Open-source intake