The United Torah Judaism faction is absent from the Knesset plenum vote on the controversial broadcast law, according to Ynet. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to vote on the bill, which has been a source of coalition infighting.
The Knesset plenum is voting this evening on the broadcast law (חוק התקשורת), with United Torah Judaism absent from the vote. According to Ynet, the faction's decision not to participate means Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to cast his ballot to secure the coalition's majority. The development follows a day of uncertainty over the bill, which has been a flashpoint within the coalition.
Earlier Thursday, at 02:28 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that MK Osher Shkalim presented the law for second and third readings, with debate set for 09:00. At the same time, The Zioneer first reported that UTJ was considering boycotting the vote amid a dispute over Shabbat, citing N12's Dafna Liel. By 02:28, The Zioneer also reported that Netanyahu had arrived at the plenum for the vote. The thread shows that the prospect of a UTJ boycott was discussed from the early morning and has now materialized as full absence, with Ynet confirming the faction is not participating.
The Zioneer has previously reported on UTJ's use of boycotts in coalition disputes, including a June 29 boycott that cut a Knesset session short and a July 1 boycott that stalled the muezzin bill. Shas has supported the broadcast law, while UTJ had opposed it, as The Zioneer reported on July 6. The broadcast law, proposed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, has been a source of coalition infighting for weeks.
The outcome of the vote remains unclear. The bill's passage depends on the coalition's ability to secure a majority without UTJ's votes, and any further coalition fallout may unfold in the coming hours.
8 developments
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Source and signal
- Internal intake