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Ultra-Orthodox party to stay in coalition
The Israeli ultra-Orthodox party, Agudat Yisrael, has decided not to bring down the Government if a new conscription bill is passed.
According to a party source, the Council of Torah Sages instructed its Knesset members in United Torah Judaism (UTJ) to request some minor changes to the conscription bill, but even if these changes are rejected, they will not withdraw from the coalition. It still isn’t clear exactly what instructions the sages gave to their MKs. UTJ was formed after a union between Agudat Yisrael and Degel Hatorah. The party has six seats in the current Israeli Parliament.
There is mounting speculation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is eager to call early elections and was hoping the disagreement in his coalition over the conscription bill would force a break up of the coalition. One UTJ member told Yediot Ahronot: “We don’t want Netanyahu to dump the conscription law crisis on us and use us to hold elections.”
On Sunday, Prime Minister Netanyahu referred to the conscription bill at the meeting of Likud ministers, saying: “This is a good and balanced law, it strikes a balance between the needs of the army, which drew it up, and of course, the needs of the ultra-orthodox public. This law must pass, it’s time to put this behind us. That is my position, this must be the government’s position, for the good for the country, for the good of the ultra-orthodox public, for the good of ultra-orthodox-secular relations.”
The bill sets annual minimum targets for ultra-Orthodox conscription in the IDF that, if not met, would result in financial sanctions on the yeshivas. It also formalises exemptions for the vast majority of yeshiva students. The bill passed its first reading in July, before the Knesset summer recess. The Supreme Court ruled that the conscription crisis must be resolved by 2 December.
The 20th Knesset will begin its fifth session today. President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein will speak at the opening ceremony.