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This week is a most difficult one for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who during recent weeks and months opted to remain in the background regarding many key issues. It is no secret that his coalition is held together by weak glue, and it may unravel at a moment’s notice over the chareidi draft issue, ongoing talks between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority) or a number of other issues.

While the coalition will this week vote on three major bills, Mr. Netanyahu is well aware he lacks sufficient support to pass the bill. This is especially true regarding the Governance Bill and National Referendum Bill which include changes in the Basic Law, demanding a majority of MKs to pass, a minimum of 61. Other bills can pass into law with a simple majority of the MKs present. No so to amend a Basic Law, requiring a majority of the 120-seat Knesset.

In an interview with the Knesset Channel on Monday, 8 Adar II, MK Ayelet Shaked explains the draft bill does not represent equality. She feels that the bill does however minimize the inequality. She also expresses her opposition to the governance bill.

Yesh Atid leader Finance Minister Yair Lapid wants the draft bill passed. Bayit Yehudi leader Economy Minister Naftali Bennett wants referendum bill passed and Yisrael Beitenu leader Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman wants the governance bill passed.

Lapid is so committed to drafting the chareidim that he is willing to vote for Bennett’s referendum bill, which will make additional land concessions to the PA (Palestinian Authority) more difficult. This is contrary to Lapid’s tenacious support of ongoing talks between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority).

On the other hand, Bennett wants his referendum bill passed so badly that he is backing Lieberman’s governance bill in exchange for the latter’s support on the referendum bill. Bennett’s bill will compel a national referendum before areas under Israeli sovereignty can be given away in another ‘peace deal’ with the PA. The governance bill will increase the minimum threshold to enter Knesset beginning in the next election. That means a party will have to earn sufficient votes for four seats of it will not enter Knesset.

Reading the bleak coalition political map, Prime Minister Netanyahu is compelling coalition party leaders to sign a document calling for coalition discipline. This means vote for the bills if you agree or not or face being ousted from the coalition. The prime minister is aware that each party will justify its voting compromise by waving its success in voters’ eyes, announcing “we kept our campaign promise”. Things being what they are now, the parties will follow instructions and the bills will pass into law.

The Movement party however, which is headed by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, has not yet stepped forward and committed as voting for the referendum while Livni heads talks with the PA would be synonymous with shooting herself in the foot. In truth, even without The Movement’s six seats, the bills will pass. In addition, it is highly unlikely that Livni is going to walk away from her senior cabinet post and spotlight position as heading the Israeli negotiating team in talks with the PA.

The Movement’s Amram Mitzne recently stated in an interview he is adamantly opposed to the current draft bill for it does not represent equality. He told Kol Berama Radio that he is uncertain how he will vote.

For the prime minister, he views this as a must, hoping to put these matters aside and end the Knesset winter session with “a success” for passage of these bills. When they are passed, the prime minister will have fulfilled his primary responsibilities to his major coalition partners vis-à-vis coalition agreements. The prime minister hopes that the Knesset summer session will be an uneventful one from a coalition perspective.

The opposition has already announced all 52 members will by boycotting the sessions, which is an unprecedented move, one that is a source of embarrassment and delegitimization of the bills. Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein has begun pressuring the opposition to back down for he does not want this unprecedented move occurring on his watch. What is commendable is the fact that while the coalition is struggling to remain intact, the opposition is displaying a large measure of unity, unity that has not been seen in years.

Opposition leader MK (Labor) Yitzchak Herzog is leading the revolution to boycott Knesset, warning the method by which the bills are being pushed through place the future of Israel’s democracy in danger.

Getting a head start, opposition MKs convened in the Negev Room, not in the plenum, holding a session that excluded coalition members on Monday, 8 Adar II during which they discussed the governance bill.

It remains to be seen if the threatened opposition boycott is actualized but whatever the case, Mr. Netanyahu knows that he must get the three bills passed and put in the annals of Knesset history and Israeli law books to permit his frail coalition to continue treading water.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)