Limping along with a one-seat majority, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is working to stabilize the situation and to continue until the end of the government’s term in about a year, seeking to avoid early elections.

One of the critical issues in the immediate future is a new draft law, before the time allocated by the Supreme Court expires in a few short weeks and the matter may be adjudicated by the court. Both Shas and Degel Hatorah seem to be on board and have been working with Prime Minister Netanyahu to pass a bill, promising they will not bring down the government as they are aware this may be the least of all evils, as HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita pointed out months ago.

However, Deputy Minister Yaakov Litzman and his Agudas Yisrael party has yet to give a green light to move ahead. Kikar Shabbos reported that the admorim of the Moetzas Gedolei Yisrael may be polled this week to determine if they will join with Shas and Degel and permit moving forward with a draft law or not. Litzman has been as the heart of the opposition and it is stated that he has influenced the admorim against the bill, and later did an about-face when it was realized bringing down the government may carry dire consequences vis-à-vis the lomdei Torah.

The proposed legislation sets minimum yearly targets for drafting of Charedim that, if not met, would result in financial sanctions on Yeshivas. It also formalizes exemptions for the vast majority of Yeshiva Bochurim.

The Supreme Court has mandated that current conscription law expire on December 2. Should a new legislation not be voted into law, it would theoretically leave thousands of Yeshiva Bochurim unable to renew their deferments, making them eligible to be drafted by the IDF.

Should Agudas Yisroel not back the new law, Yesh Atid is said to be open to supporting it in its current form and would allow it to pass. However, should the Chareidi party choose to leave the coalition, it would force Prime Minister Netanyahu to either bring opposition parties into his government or head to early elections. Elections are currently scheduled to be held in November 2019.

Previously, Netanyahu said of the bill: “This is a good and balanced law. It balances between the needs of the IDF, which prepared it, and, of course, the needs of the Chareidi public.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)