Netanyahu Seeks Deal With Ultra-Orthodox on Draft Legislation and Election Timing

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Tuesday with MKs Moshe Gafni and Aryeh Deri after the ultra-Orthodox party leaders said they would not attend a coalition leaders’ meeting. The talks were aimed at advancing the legislation the Haredim want and setting an agreed election date, which now appears likely to be October 20.

According to the reported deal, before the Knesset is dissolved, the coalition would approve, in second and third readings, a Basic Law on Torah study and a temporary order to prevent the arrest of draft dodgers. In return, the ultra-Orthodox would back in first reading a bill to split the attorney general’s role, a communications bill, and a proposal to establish a national commission of inquiry.

In a joint statement, Gafni and Deri said they delivered an “unequivocal demand” from the leading rabbis to advance the Torah study Basic Law and the law stopping arrests of Torah students immediately, by convening the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and the Knesset Committee this week. They warned that if there were no practical steps, they would support dissolving the Knesset next week. They added that Netanyahu said he was committed to approving the laws and would work to advance them quickly.

Opposition figures sharply attacked the reported arrangement. Yesh Atid leader Gadi Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of trading away national interests, including “laws of evasion” and the weakening of Israeli society, for a more convenient election date. Yisrael Beiteinu faction chairman MK Oded Forer said Netanyahu was promising Deri and Gafni legislation that would stop arrests of draft evaders, adding that the public would send the government home whether elections are held on October 20 or October 27.