Ultra-Orthodox Party Leaders Skip Netanyahu Meeting Amid Coalition Crisis

Israel’s coalition faced another blow after coalition legislation was frozen in the Knesset: leaders of the ultra-Orthodox parties refused to attend a coordination meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The meeting was meant to bring together all coalition party chiefs and was expected to discuss, among other things, the timing of elections.

According to the report, Degel HaTorah leader Moshe Gafni and United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf declined to come, while Shas chairman Aryeh Deri had not yet responded to the prime minister’s office. Sources in United Torah Judaism said Gafni and Goldknopf coordinated their decision and chose not to take part in what they described as Netanyahu’s attempt to stage a show of a strong governing bloc.

The dispute comes after Degel HaTorah last week issued a firm demand to advance the so-called “Nurseries Law,” after the vote on it was postponed. Party sources said Netanyahu and Likud had made a clear commitment on the issue, and insisted the promise must be kept in full. Degel HaTorah officials also accused Deri of obstructing the bill, saying, “We will not accept any delay or retreat from the commitment,” and said they expected the law to pass without further holdups.

Agudat Yisrael echoed that position, saying the entire faction stood united with Degel HaTorah in demanding that the prime minister fulfill his promise to pass the Nurseries Law. The faction warned that failing to pass it would amount to an admission by Netanyahu that he definitively wants to dissolve the Knesset and go to elections. A day earlier, Goldknopf said, “We are fed up with tricks and gimmicks meant only to generate headlines and spin. What the government did not do in 4 years, it certainly will not do now.” He added that the party would demand that a bill to dissolve the Knesset be brought on Wednesday.