Lieberman's Team Accelerates Ultra-Orthodox Coalition Talks
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
Negotiations between Israel's Change bloc and ultra-Orthodox parties are focused on passing a conscription law before a new government is formed. Avigdor Lieberman's team has reportedly accelerated talks with Shas and United Torah Judaism, who are demanding the law as a condition for joining a coalition. Lieberman expressed willingness to compromise and revive his previous conscription exemption bill. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed a unity government including the ultra-Orthodox parties.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Ultra-Orthodox parties demand a conscription law be passed before joining a new Israeli government.
- Avigdor Lieberman's team has significantly accelerated coalition negotiations with ultra-Orthodox parties.
- The proposed conscription law must regulate yeshiva students' status and pass Supreme Court review.
- Lieberman's concrete proposals and public compromise statements have convinced ultra-Orthodox parties.
- Ultra-Orthodox media questioned their alignment with the right-wing bloc over the conscription issue.
- Benjamin Netanyahu proposed a unity government including the ultra-Orthodox parties.
Negotiations between the Change bloc and ultra-Orthodox parties have stalled over the issue of passing a conscription law before a government is formed. The Shas and United Torah Judaism parties are demanding this as a condition for joining Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc and forming a coalition with Gadi Eisenkot. The proposed law aims to regulate the status of yeshiva students and must withstand Supreme Court scrutiny, according to Ynet political correspondent Moran Azulai. To meet the ultra-Orthodox parties' demands, the bill must be submitted by the outgoing cabinet, and parties are seeking a way to achieve this before the new government is established.
Initial talks were slow, led by Ronen Manelis and Ronen Aviani on behalf of Eisenkot. However, the negotiations gained significant momentum after individuals associated with Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, joined the discussions. An ultra-Orthodox source described Lieberman's team's work as a car accelerating to 200 km/h on a turn, overtaking the entire convoy. Lieberman reportedly presented concrete proposals, and his public statements about willingness to compromise, along with his nomination for the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairmanship, convinced the ultra-Orthodox parties of his serious intentions.
High-level political sources attribute the ultra-Orthodox parties' increased willingness to negotiate with Lieberman to their disappointment with the Netanyahu government, which failed to pass a conscription exemption law during its term. Lieberman himself publicly denied conducting personal or mediated talks, stating that Eisenkot was leading the negotiations and he was ready to assist if asked. He explained his shift in stance on a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties after the Change bloc failed to secure 61 mandates, expressing a desire to revive his 2018 conscription exemption bill with amendments that would pass judicial review.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu reiterated his proposal for a unity government under his leadership, including the ultra-Orthodox parties, without mentioning a rotation of the prime ministership. The Change bloc has submitted 61 signatures to change the Knesset speaker. Newspapers associated with ultra-Orthodox parties have questioned the perception of their community as an integral part of the right-wing camp. Yated Ne'eman, linked to Yaakov Asher, argued that the right has not performed better than the left on the conscription issue. HaModia, associated with Yitzhak Goldknopf, reminded right-wing parties that their ability to form governments depended on ultra-Orthodox support.
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