Netanyahu Tells Ultra-Orthodox Leaders the Housing Subsidy Bill Lacks a Majority

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told senior leaders of the ultra-Orthodox factions on Tuesday that he does not have the votes to pass the daycare subsidy bill, according to a report by journalist Yishai Cohen. The article says the message triggered fresh pressure from the Haredi parties over stalled legislation they see as important to their voters.

United Torah Judaism chairman Moshe Gafni informed the coalition that, because the bill was not advanced, the two Degel HaTorah members on the Knesset Finance Committee will vote against all budget transfers submitted for approval that day. The ultra-Orthodox parties also said they would not support other coalition bills, including legislation to create a political inquiry committee, until the daycare bill moves forward.

A senior Agudat Yisrael figure told N12, after the bill was not brought to a vote, “If the prime minister does not bring the daycare bill now, there is no point in continuing this game.” He added, “We demand that on Wednesday we vote on dissolving the Knesset in second and third readings.”

The Haredi parties are also holding up the broadcast bill. The dispute centers on a government app that would operate on Shabbat and could include pornographic broadcasts funded by the state. Shas and United Torah Judaism leader Yitzhak Goldknopf said in the Knesset committee on Sunday that the changes are not enough, and demanded the app not work on Shabbat at all and not include indecent content, saying, “They are increasing Shabbat desecration under state sponsorship.”