As the special ministerial committee dealing with the draft law begins to get down to businesses, Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is working to persuade Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu not to advance the bill during the current Knesset summer session. The bill passed its first reading in Knesset this week. Prior to the vote, Litzman announced if the bill is passed into law, the Agudas Yisrael faction of Yahadut Hatorah will leave the coalition as per instructions from the Moetzas Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisrael.

It is pointed out that if the bill is not passed into law during the current Knesset session, the government would have to request an extension from the High Court of Justice, which set a deadline for a new draft law to be legislated. Should a law not be legislated, and the court denying an extension, all bnei Torah would become obligated for military service as per the law.

As Litzman works behind the scenes to persuade the Prime Minister, the ministerial committee is holding marathon sessions in the race against the clock. Likud officials’ feel the law must be legislated at this time to pass a law that is accepted by all. The Prime Minister will seek to apply pressure on Agudas Yisrael not to leave the coalition, enlisting the support of Shas and the Degel Hatorah faction of Yahadut Hatorah. Should Agudas Yisrael break from the coalition nonetheless, the government would no alternative but to dissolve the coalition and head to early elections.

The chareidi parties, other than Agudas Yisrael, would likely assist in preventing early elections since most predict a new government would be less friendly to the chareidim than the current administration based on weekly election polls. In addition, when the deadline arrives, the High Court may not grant an extension, and all bnei Torah could become draft dodgers.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)