Ultra-Orthodox Parties Threaten Coalition Vote Over Childcare Subsidy Bill

After the Knesset Presidium decided not to advance the daycare subsidy bill, MK Yisrael Eichler’s proposal from United Torah Judaism will not come to a first reading today, Monday. In response, ultra-Orthodox factions are threatening to withhold support for the coalition on another measure, the Kalner committee bill, which could imperil its passage.

The daycare bill, known as the “nurseries bill,” is meant to keep state subsidies for daycare centers available to families even when the father does not work and does not serve in the IDF, in order to prevent financial harm to women who want to go out to work. Under the current rules, subsidy eligibility requires both spouses to work or study.

The proposal would state that one spouse’s failure to serve in the military, usually referring to yeshiva students whose Torah study is their occupation, would not by itself disqualify a family from receiving the subsidy as long as the mother works. The move is intended to address ultra-Orthodox families after the previous enlistment arrangement was struck down, leaving conscription-age ultra-Orthodox men who do not serve at risk of losing daycare subsidies in practice.

The Kalner bill, sponsored by Likud MK Ariel Kalner, seeks to establish a political commission of inquiry into the events of October 7. It would split appointments evenly between the coalition and the opposition. The opposition says it will boycott the Constitution Committee debates on the bill, so the committee is expected to proceed with only one side present.

This is not the first time the ultra-Orthodox have used the daycare bill as leverage. Before it passed preliminary approval, they issued an ultimatum to coalition lawmakers and forced them to vote in favor. At the time, they also threatened to back a bill for a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attacks instead of Kalner’s political commission proposal, and that bill passed 44 to 33.