Netanyahu-Haredi Deal Enacts Laws Reshaping Israel Amid Legal Challenges

Following a rapid legislative push in the Knesset, the battle over Israel's national character has moved to the Supreme Court. A deal between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Haredi parties, revealed by ynet, was implemented this week through a series of laws favoring the Haredi sector, weakening government oversight, and restricting the media, effectively altering the state's governance framework. The Supreme Court has already issued an interim injunction freezing the law that halts arrests of Haredi draft dodgers, a law passed despite strong opposition from military and legal advisors and is expected to fail judicial review.

This law aims to formalize the status of Torah students and exempt them from arrest for draft evasion, creating a sector-based disparity as others are still subject to arrest. Netanyahu abstained from voting on this law at the last moment, leaving coalition members, especially from Likud and Religious Zionism, to bear the consequences. Meanwhile, the Haredi parties portray the law as a victory, blaming the Supreme Court for blocking it, though this was anticipated.

Other laws passed this week have also faced petitions, including one weakening the Attorney General's authority. Proposed by MK Simcha Rothman of Religious Zionism, this law diminishes the binding nature of the Attorney General's opinions, allows ministers to set the state's position in court, and restricts the Attorney General from presenting dissenting views to judges. The Movement for Quality Government has petitioned against this law, questioning whether the Supreme Court will intervene.

Additionally, a controversial communications law passed amid procedural irregularities has drawn legal challenges. The legislation bypassed the Economic Affairs Committee due to opposition from its chair, MK Bitan, favoring Minister Shlomo Karhi's agenda. The deal also included a Basic Law enshrining Torah study as a fundamental value, intended to provide a legal basis for future draft exemptions, though its judicial interpretation remains uncertain.

A separate law permitting gender segregation in higher education beyond undergraduate studies, contrary to Supreme Court rulings, was also enacted. Netanyahu's motivation for these legislative moves was to secure the Haredi bloc's loyalty ahead of elections, preventing them from aligning with opposition forces. Shas leader Aryeh Deri publicly declared full support for Netanyahu, contrasting with more cautious stances from other Haredi leaders. The likelihood of formal loyalty declarations from Netanyahu's coalition partners appears low compared to previous election cycles.