Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working urgently to prevent the collapse of his government, as ultra-Orthodox lawmakers threaten to vote Wednesday in favor of dissolving the Knesset over a stalled military draft bill. This would likely lead to new elections.
Members of the United Torah Judaism party have warned that unless a draft law acceptable to them and their rabbinic leadership is brought forward, they will support a preliminary vote to dissolve parliament. In a statement published Wednesday in the Haredi newspaper Yated Ne’eman, the party said it would back the dissolution bill.
The Prime Minister’s Office is operating on both legal and security tracks to ease opposition to the latest version of the bill. On Tuesday night, a revised proposal was presented to Haredi party representatives. The draft, tailored to meet the standards the Knesset’s legal counsel is prepared to defend before the High Court of Justice, bypassed the legal adviser to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee—an unusual move indicating the government’s urgency.
Netanyahu met with committee chair Yuli Edelstein on Tuesday in an effort to shift his stance on applying sanctions to draft dodgers. He reportedly proposed introducing a grace period before enforcing any penalties. Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs is attempting to convince Haredi leaders to delay the dissolution vote by a week.
Negotiations have largely focused on Moshe Gafni, leader of the Degel HaTorah faction, and members of the Sephardic Shas party. Netanyahu’s team has reportedly stopped trying to influence United Torah Judaism minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, who has voiced strong support for the Knesset’s dissolution. Goldknopf, who is not a Knesset member, and his Agudat Yisrael faction are expected to vote in favor of the bill.
The balance of power rests with Shas, which holds 11 seats in the Knesset compared to four for Degel HaTorah and three for Agudat Yisrael. If Shas votes against dissolution, the measure could be defeated in a 60-60 deadlock.
Shas lawmakers met Tuesday in Jerusalem but postponed a formal party council meeting. Party sources suggested the delay was intended to allow Shas leader Aryeh Deri to present an updated position to the Council of Torah Sages, possibly justifying a delay in the vote.
Degel HaTorah, however, has taken a firmer stance. Senior rabbis Dov Landau and Moshe Hillel Hirsch reaffirmed their directive from last week to support dissolution, even if it leads to a government crisis. Shas has signaled openness to compromise. Though three senior Shas rabbis sent a sharp letter to Deri opposing any draft law that lacks quotas or targets, a follow-up statement released Wednesday morning urged patience, saying the party would await the Council's final decision.
Netanyahu’s office hopes the ongoing security threats from Iran, Yemen, Gaza and the northern border will persuade Haredi leaders to reconsider the timing of an election. Still, United Torah Judaism has accused Netanyahu of stalling. “First it was [Defense Minister Yoav] Gallant, then the war, now Iran. He isn’t presenting a law, just buying time,” one party source said.
A Haredi official speaking anonymously said: “Yesterday it was the American ambassador trying to stop elections, then Netanyahu attacking Iran, then returning hostages—one story after another to avoid dealing with the draft law.”
Divisions have also emerged in the opposition. While Yesh Atid has indicated it would withdraw dissolution bills if a coalition solution appears viable, the Yisrael Beytenu party insists on pushing the vote forward. Party officials say the goal is to force Shas to take a clear stand, betting that it will not allow United Torah Judaism to vote alone in favor of dissolution.
However, the move carries risk. Knesset rules prohibit reintroducing a failed bill for six months unless Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana approves a procedural exception. Yisrael Beytenu argues that even if the vote is postponed a week, legislative delays will push any election from November to December.
Behind the scenes, Netanyahu’s allies are engaged in intensive talks to delay the vote. The prime minister fears that once the bill is brought to the floor, momentum toward new elections will become unstoppable.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
“The dissolution bill is not just a legal step—it’s a political snowball,” a source close to Netanyahu said.
Despite growing tensions, many in the Haredi and Likud camps remain uncertain about the path forward.
“Even if a draft law is passed, it might not meet our needs,” a Haredi source told Ynet. “If we go to elections, we don’t know what kind of government will form or how it will treat our community. But if we’re left with no clear law, our public won’t forgive us.”