By bringing the bill to a vote, the opposition parties planned to exploit a fight within the governing coalition over the contentious, decades-old policy that has largely exempted ultra-Orthodox men who are studying religion in seminaries from compulsory military service.
Archiv: crisis of Netanyahu government June 2025
Edelstein says ‘agreements reached on principles’ for Haredi draft bill, signaling end to coalition crisis
Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, who heads the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, releases a statement declaring that “after long deliberations, we have reached agreements on principles on which to base a proposal for the enlistment law,” signaling an end to the coalition crisis.
Dodging question on two-state solution, White House says Trump’s priority is ending Gaza war
Accordingly, Netanyahu is facing increasing accusations that he is prolonging the war in order to keep his coalition intact, as his far-right partners who envision Israel permanently occupying the Strip, establishing settlements there and encouraging the mass-migration of its Palestinians threaten to collapse the government if he agrees to a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal from Gaza.
Coalition scrambles for deal with Haredim ahead of preliminary vote to dissolve Knesset
If the legislation to dissolve the Knesset passes its preliminary vote today, it would still need to pass three further votes to take effect. If it is voted down, the opposition will have to wait six months to bring another Knesset dissolution bill to a vote.
Netanyahu using Iran tension, threats to try and stop Knesset dispersion vote
The opposition bills calling for the dissolution of the Knesset are expected to be brought up between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m., with a special plenary session set to honor Argentinian President Javier Milei, who is visiting the Knesset on Wednesday. The session will also include a speech by Netanyahu.
Total of 17 Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs
A total of 17 Israeli airstrikes targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs, including 10 warning strikes, six direct strikes, and one unexploded strike.
Israeli air strikes hit Beirut in latest breach of ceasefire
Israel said it was striking Hezbollah drone factories in the city‘s southern suburbs
Pressure mounts on Netanyahu as opposition moves to dissolve parliament
A member of Israel‘s right-wing coalition threatened to quit the cabinet on Wednesday and support an opposition motion to dissolve parliament tabled for next week, piling pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Latest opinion polls suggest that Netanyahu‘s coalition would lose power if an election was held today, with many voters unhappy over the continued war in Gaza prompted by the attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel in October 2023.
Dramatic days ahead? Israel‘s Knesset abuzz with speculation
Despite a crisis that makes an early election seem more likely, Likud members remain confident that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu see things unfold differently. The speculation includes scenarios ranging from a partial hostage deal to a significant security event.
Shas said planning to back Knesset dissolution over stymied draft-exemption bill
Speaking with the Haaretz daily following a faction meeting held to discuss whether or not to support the UTJ-led move, a Shas source said that the party will push to dissolve the Knesset, a move that would strip the coalition of its majority and trigger new elections.
Elections may loom as senior rabbis tell Haredi UTJ party to bolt coalition
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was teetering Wednesday after the spiritual leaders of Degel Hatorah, one of the two factions that make up the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, instructed their MKs to introduce a bill to dissolve the Knesset due to the coalition’s failure to pass a law exempting yeshiva students from conscription — a longstanding UTJ goal.
On Wednesday morning, Degel Hatorah chair MK Moshe Gafni received the instructions from rabbis Moshe Hirsch, the dean of Bnei Brak’s Slabodka yeshiva, and Dov Lando, the senior leader of the so-called Lithuanian stream of non-Hasidic ultra-Orthodoxy and the chairman of the faction’s ruling Council of Torah Sages.