Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox reach a deal on draft-related bills

After escalating tensions between the ultra-Orthodox factions and the coalition, the sides reached an understanding on Tuesday over the draft issue. Under the deal, the Basic Law on Torah study and a bill to stop the arrest of yeshiva students will be advanced immediately, while the ultra-Orthodox parties will restore full voting support for the coalition if real progress is made.

If those bills are not moved forward, the ultra-Orthodox factions will back the opposition’s bill to dissolve the Knesset. The arrangement came after Shas chairman Aryeh Deri and United Torah Judaism chairman Moshe Gafni issued an ultimatum to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding immediate action on the Torah study Basic Law and the legislation halting arrests of Torah students, or else they would support dissolving parliament as early as next week.

The parties also set a tight timetable. The ultra-Orthodox demanded that the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee hold a discussion within two days, by the end of the week, on the bill cancelling arrests of Torah learners. They then want committee work completed next week and the bill brought for second and third readings, for final approval in the plenum.

At the same time, a schedule is to be drawn up for approving the Torah study Basic Law before the Knesset is dissolved, so it can be brought to a final vote. If there is meaningful progress already this week, the ultra-Orthodox will not support dissolution and will again vote with the coalition. If the required debates are not scheduled, they will support the opposition’s dissolution bill, turning the government into a caretaker administration and freezing new legislation. The election date is set for October 20. The ultra-Orthodox have fully given up on the daycare subsidies bill, but still want to advance the kashrut bill if time permits, and say they will not bring down the government over it.