Latest news with #Ultra-Orthodox
Miami Herald
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Israel's government wobbles as Netanyahu allies threaten exit
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition faces the possibility of collapse and early elections after his ultra-Orthodox partners threatened to bring down the government. The United Torah Judaism party has indicated it would support the dissolution of parliament unless agreements are reached on the longstanding exemption of its men from enlisting in the military, with the Shas party expected to follow. The issue is contentious in Israel, particularly as the 20-month war in Gaza takes a toll on the tens of thousands of citizens who are called up to the reserves. Netanyahu has until June 11 to smooth out the differences with his partners, otherwise a vote will take place on a bill to dissolve Knesset - the Israeli parliament - with the opposition on track to win a majority with Ultra-Orthodox support. That could lead to elections as early as this fall, a year ahead of schedule, depending on the outcome of further votes. In a statement from his office Wednesday, Netanyahu acknowledged the growing divide within the government and said a meeting will be held on Thursday to try to reach a compromise. While the situation is fluid and could quickly change, Netanyahu and his ruling coalition have lost ground in polls since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and subsequent war in Gaza, and are not projected to win a majority in the next election. A new government would be expected to bring about an earlier end to the Hamas conflict - if it's ongoing -- and shelve moves to weaken institutions, both perceived as positive developments by investors. The shekel rose on the prospects of an early election and traded at 3.48 per dollar as of 9:31 am local time, its strongest since February 2023, and is up almost 1% this week. Israel has pledged to continue the war until Hamas frees its remaining hostages and disarms, but the country has come under increasing international pressure over the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians in the territory. Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and many other countries. "Any government, the existing one or a different one, will face the same issues of dangerous Iranian armament, of a Hamas which still exists in certain parts of the Gaza Strip," Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, said on Army Radio Thursday. "Whether or not there will be an election, we are still committed, of course, to returning the hostages and defeating Hamas." Political acumen Netanyahu, Israel's longest-ever ruling prime minister, is renowned for his political acumen, but on this occasion his options are limited. It's thought by political analysts the Israeli leader may be able to buy more time, possibly by replacing Yuli Edelstein, the lawmaker responsible for advancing the ultra-Orthodox law, but his government won't be able to serve its full term. Last year, Israel's top court ordered the government to pass an enlistment law for the ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, who have been exempt from military service for decades so they can focus on religious study. The issue has long divided Israelis - most of whom are subject to mandatory service - and has worsened since Oct. 7 as citizens are repeatedly called up, taking a large toll on their families and working lives. The drafting of Jewish Orthodox men would relieve some of these pressures and smooth out social tensions arising from a sense of injustice about the war burden. With a solid majority of the public behind drafting Haredi men, Jewish Orthodox parties are isolated in their objection to any such move. These parties, however, answer to religious authorities who see this matter as existential, and insist their men be allowed to keep studying in religious seminaries, which they say is as important to winning Israel's wars as taking part in combat. Their solid voter base grants them enough seats in parliament to make them crucial to the formation of any government, whether by Netanyahu or another leader. ----------- -With assistance from Dan Williams. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Netanyahu to be kicked out by his own coalition partners? Ultra-Orthodox erupts
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government faces a severe coalition crisis as the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party threatens to withdraw over delays in passing a law exempting their community from mandatory military service. Ultra-Orthodox leaders have ordered UTJ politicians to quit the coalition, warning that failure to pass the exemption could trigger early elections and bring down Netanyahu's government. Watch for more
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First Post
a day ago
- Business
- First Post
Pressure mounts on Netanyahu as key coalition party threatens to back opposition motion to dissolve parliament
Polls suggest widespread public dissatisfaction with Netanyahu's handling of the conflict sparked by Hamas' October 2023 attack. read more Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition is under tremendous pressure with a motion to dissolve the Knesset fast approaching and a key coalition partner threatening to switch sides on it. AFP Photo A key ultra-Orthodox party in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition threatened Wednesday (June 4) to quit the government and support an opposition-led vote next week to dissolve parliament, intensifying pressure on the embattled leader. The United Torah Judaism party, one of two ultra-Orthodox factions supporting Netanyahu, said it would leave the coalition unless the government quickly approves legislation granting formal military service exemptions to ultra-Orthodox men . The opposition Yesh Atid party, led by former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, submitted a parliamentary motion scheduled for next week that would dissolve Israel's parliament, known as the Knesset, and trigger early elections. Netanyahu's coalition currently holds an eight-seat majority in the 120-member parliament. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'This Knesset (parliament) is finished. It has nowhere to go,' Lapid said, predicting the government's imminent collapse. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, has not publicly responded to the escalating crisis. Negotiations continue amid coalition tensions Reuters cited United Torah Judaism leader Yitzhak Goldknopf's spokesperson as saying that unless the exemption law passes, his party will vote to dissolve parliament. Negotiations within Netanyahu's coalition were ongoing, according to a source close to the government. The coalition, composed of secular right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties, controls 64 seats, including 7 from United Torah Judaism and 11 from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party. Military service exemptions fuel internal divisions The debate centers on whether young ultra-Orthodox men studying full-time in religious seminaries should be exempt from mandatory military service. Ultra-Orthodox lawmakers insist on maintaining or expanding exemptions, while secular and nationalist parties argue that universal conscription should apply equally. Ohad Tal, a lawmaker from the Religious Zionism party within the coalition, sharply criticized Goldknopf's threats and called for him to resign rather than push for new elections. Tal said a blanket military exemption is no longer viable. Former lawmaker Ofer Shelah suggested Netanyahu might be counting on ultra-Orthodox parties to back down, noting polls indicate they would lose seats if elections were held soon. Political instability amid ongoing Gaza conflict Netanyahu's coalition faces additional turmoil as Israel continues its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Polls suggest widespread public dissatisfaction with Netanyahu's handling of the conflict sparked by Hamas' October 2023 attack, which killed roughly 1,200 Israelis. Families of hostages still held in Gaza, along with growing numbers of protesters, have called for an end to the conflict, but some coalition hardliners demand military operations continue until Hamas is destroyed. Political analysts noted the ultra-Orthodox parties could withdraw from the coalition in protest without necessarily toppling the government, preserving some political stability amid Israel's broader challenges. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Netanyahu's government, elected in late 2022, is not mandated to face voters again until 2026. However, Israeli governments rarely serve full terms due to frequent internal divisions and political crises.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Factbox-What might happen in Israel's parliamentary dissolution vote?
(Reuters) -Opposition party Yesh Atid has submitted a vote to dissolve the Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset, for June 11, amid rising tensions in the ruling right-wing coalition. Here are some key facts about the Knesset, the procedure for a dissolution vote, which would lead to an election, and possible scenarios. KNESSET COMPOSITION Total seats: 120 Simple majority needed to pass the vote: 61 Current government majority: 8 seats LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE The Yesh Atid motion faces four votes with an absolute majority of the Knesset required in the final stretch to become law, thereby bringing a premature end to the legislature and triggering an election, which must be held within five months of the motion passing. In practice, if the initial vote passes, the subsequent stages could occur all the same day or take months. OPPOSITION STRATEGY A bill to dissolve parliament will only be brought to a vote if Yesh Atid is confident of securing a majority. If not, it can withdraw the motion anytime before June 11, preventing a vote. ALTERNATIVE SCENARIOS Ultra-Orthodox coalition parties could decide to leave the government to protest at its failure to put forward a law granting exemption from military service to ultra-Orthodox men. At the same time, they might refuse to vote for dissolution of parliament, allowing a minority government to continue. COALITION NUMBERS The coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a majority of around 68 seats in parliament, though its size has fluctuated due to internal political shifts. The two coalition ultra-Orthodox parties, United Torah Judaism and Shas, hold 18 seats collectively. If they united with the opposition, they would have enough votes to dissolve parliament and trigger early elections a year ahead of schedule.
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
What might happen if Israel's parliament votes on dissolution next week?
June 4 (Reuters) - Opposition party Yesh Atid has submitted a vote to dissolve the Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset, for June 11, amid rising tensions in the ruling right-wing coalition. Here are some key facts about the Knesset, the procedure for a dissolution vote, which would lead to an election, and possible scenarios. Total seats: 120 Simple majority needed to pass the vote: 61 Current government majority: 8 seats LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE The Yesh Atid motion faces four votes with an absolute majority of the Knesset required in the final stretch to become law, thereby bringing a premature end to the legislature and triggering an election, which must be held within five months of the motion passing. In practice, if the initial vote passes, the subsequent stages could occur all the same day or take months. A bill to dissolve parliament will only be brought to a vote if Yesh Atid is confident of securing a majority. If not, it can withdraw the motion anytime before June 11, preventing a vote. Ultra-Orthodox coalition parties could decide to leave the government to protest at its failure to put forward a law granting exemption from military service to ultra-Orthodox men. At the same time, they might refuse to vote for dissolution of parliament, allowing a minority government to continue. The coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a majority of around 68 seats in parliament, though its size has fluctuated due to internal political shifts. The two coalition ultra-Orthodox parties, United Torah Judaism and Shas, hold 18 seats collectively. If they united with the opposition, they would have enough votes to dissolve parliament and trigger early elections a year ahead of schedule.
